Miami Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith makes a business decision for the team's mandatory minicamp this week

Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith was one of the great stories of the entire NFL during the 2024 season.  An afterthought of a signing on a two-year deal during the offseason, the veteran had a breakthrough performance for Miami last year. 

Not surprisingly, Smith's performance above the norm now has him seeking compensation for that increased level of play as well.  Smith has been seeking a new contract from the Dolphins, who in turn have been considering trade possibilities for their tight end. 

And as it turns out, Smith isn't joking about the seriousness of his demands.  According to Mike McDaniel on Monday as the team's mandatory minicamp opens up, Smith is not going to be participating this week.  

"You will not see Jonnu on the field today or this week," McDaniel said. "That's something that we've been in communication with, and I don't really need to get into personal matters, and I'm not really hiding anything. It's just not about today, and I'm better suited to answer questions about that."

As the name indicates, minicamp is required for all players, and under the league's collective bargaining agreement, fines can result for players who miss the event.  The fine for missing one day is $17,462. Missing a second day results in a fine of $34,925, and missing the entire week adds an additional fine of $52,381.  Accordingly, the cumulative fine would come to $104,768. 

However, the penalty of that protest is a small fraction of what Smith and all other players who are holding out this week seeking new contracts, which includes Pittsburgh's J.J. Watt and Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson, are seeking from their teams. 

Smith was a crucial safety blanket for the Dolphins last year with their deep passing game effectively broken from Tua Tagovailoa's injuries and the absence of an effective running game.  He turned in career best numbers of 88 catches for 884 yards and 8 touchdowns.  

Still, it's understandable for the Dolphins to be exploring trade options. They hope to be more capable in the running game and thus able to open up their passing game more in 2025.  Smith's trade value will also never be higher than it is right now. 

We'll see in the coming weeks where the Smith saga ends up with the Dolphins - either with a richer deal together or in separate directions.