The Dolphins are wise to let the rest of the NFL do the dirty work in their contract standoff with Jonnu Smith

The ongoing negotiation between Miami Dolphins and tight end Jonnu Smith did not come to a resolution this week with players in-house for mandatory minicamp. Smith, who enjoyed a record-setting season for the Dolphins in 2024, was not among those to attend amid his efforts to prompt the Dolphins’ brass to meet his request for a new contract for the 2025 season and beyond. The situation leaves Miami in an awkward spot — one that they found themselves in far too often one year ago.

Last year, it was quarterback Tua Tagovailoa softly holding in during minicamp and the first few days of training camp. By the end of camp, both wide receiver Tyreek Hill and cornerback Jalen Ramsey had, in varying fashion, pressured the Dolphins to adjust their contracts, as well. The year before, in 2023, it was defensive tackle Christian Wilkins who went on to hold-in for the majority of training camp.

The Smith saga is Miami’s next. Whether or not his standoff extends into training camp at the end of July is yet to be determined. But with minicamp now closing, it's worth noting the Dolphins are open to all resolutions this time around. Although everyone involved would prefer to see Smith locked in and content for the 2025 season, Miami is opting to open all avenues to offer a better understanding of where all the cards lie on the table.

This week’s newest update comes courtesy of a report from ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter and underscores how the Dolphins are going about their business this time around.

“(Miami) has given him permission and excused him from attending (minicamp), so it can go ahead and look for a trade partner." - Adam Schefter on NFL Live this week

Let’s consider where all parties currently stand on this situation. The Dolphins would like Smith to be a part of the team but are not willing to meet Jonnu Smith’s ambitious asking price on a contract extension. Smith, for his part, considers the Dolphins to be his “dream team” and would prefer to stay in Miami. At least one team across the league have shown some interest but Miami and Smith both would prefer to stay together. 

They simply can’t agree on a price.

So why not actively assess Smith’s market? The Dolphins, and agent Drew Rosenhaus, having open lines of communication about Jonnu Smith and his outlook as a trade asset with other teams will inevitably branch off to go into details such as how much a new team hypothetically acquiring Smith is willing to pay him. By gauging the league’s temperature and interest in Smith, the Dolphins can get a better idea of what his earning potential is elsewhere — and use it to hone their offers to find a contract agreement that is an accurate portrayal of his value.

Teams across the league understand Smith is angling for a new deal and trading for him would come with the expectation that he would get one from them, too.

So instead of keeping the dialogue exclusively between the Dolphins, Smith, and Rosenhaus to try to sort out the discrepancies, the rest of the NFL’s executives can serve as the anchor to reality that these parties need to make sure their asks and offers are properly calibrated. Maybe it leads to a trade — if the Dolphins find a too-good-to-be-true offer, they’d probably be wise to take it as a team in the midst of a youth movement and Smith set to turn 30 years old in August.

The most likely outcome, at this stage? The trade discussions and subsequent conversations about new contract values that other teams are willing to offer will help Smith and the Dolphins close the ground on their differences to find a compromise that both sides can feel good about. But, it is important to note, nothing is off the table.