Jonnu Smith Signs With Packers: How the Veteran Tight End Reshapes Green Bay’s Offense
The Packers just added a proven pass catching tight end. Jonnu Smith signed a one year contract with Green Bay this week, giving Jordan Love a serious weapon in the middle of the field.
Smith has bounced around the league but he has always been the same player. Good hands, above average yards after catch, a mismatch against linebackers, and a reliable red zone target. He is not going to catch 100 balls in Green Bay but he does not need to.
The fit works. The Packers already have Tucker Kraft as their primary tight end. Adding Smith gives Green Bay legitimate 12 personnel looks where both tight ends are pass catching threats. That is the kind of formation Matt LaFleur uses to move the middle of the field around.
Here is what Green Bay needed. In 2025 they leaned heavily on their wide receiver rotation with Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks. That group can score, but it does not consistently win the middle of the field. Smith gives them a checkdown option for Love when the primary read is not there.
The Packers are chasing the Vikings and Lions in what has become the toughest division in football. Every marginal upgrade matters. A veteran tight end who can win his one on ones and catch the ball in traffic is exactly the kind of quiet addition that shows up on a playoff run.
The one year deal is smart on both sides. Smith gets a chance to play in a competent offense with a real quarterback and reset his market for next spring. Green Bay gets a proven player without committing to a multi year contract that could clog up cap space if Kraft breaks out.
Do not expect Smith to lead the team in receptions. Do not expect him to be the reason Green Bay wins the division. But do expect three or four moments this season where a Sunday night camera catches him running open on a linebacker in the red zone and Jordan Love finding him for six.
Small signing. Real impact. That is how Brian Gutekunst has always operated.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
