The New York Jets have made their first move to address a thin tight end room. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, they have agreed on a one-year deal with free agent tight end Stone Smartt.
Smartt was a restricted free agent, but the Chargers did not tender him, which allowed him to sign with any team.
An undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion in 2022, Smartt latched on with Los Angeles, where he spent the past three seasons. In three seasons, Smartt played in 38 games, catching 31-of-45 targets for 380 yards and one touchdown.
Smartt played 15 games in 2024 (two starts), securing 16-of-19 targets for a career-high 208 yards. He came on strong for Los Angeles near the end of the season while starting tight end Will Dissly missed time with an injury. Over a four-game stretch from Weeks 14-17, Smartt played 30.5 snaps per game, producing 3.3 receptions and 41.0 receiving yards per game.
Standing at 6-foot-4 and 226 pounds, Smartt’s presence on the field is almost closer to that of a big-bodied wide receiver than a tight end. In 2024, he showed intriguing potential as a field-stretcher, ranking sixth out of 58 qualified tight ends with an ADOT (average depth of target) of 10.1. He caught three deep passes (20+ air yards), good enough for seventh among tight ends despite his limited reps.
Smartt is 26 years old and will turn 27 this October. He will have the opportunity to stand out in a weak Jets tight end room where his only current competitors are Jeremy Ruckert, Neal Johnson, and Zack Kuntz.
