NY Jets roll the dice on young free-agent tight end with big upside

The New York Jets entered the offseason with a desperate need to overhaul their tight end room. On Thursday, the team made the first of what's expected to be multiple moves at the position.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Jets have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Los Angeles Chargers tight end Stone Smartt. A restricted free agent, Smart was non-tendered by Los Angeles this offseason in a move that many Chargers fans were not happy with.

Smartt came on late for the Chargers last season, finishing the year with 16 catches for 208 yards. 14 of those 16 catches came in a five-week span between Week 13 and Week 17.

The only other tight ends on the Jets' roster entering free agency were Jeremy Ruckert, Zack Kuntz, and Neal Johnson, with the latter two being practice squad players signed to futures deals in January. The Jets needed tight end help, and Smartt gives them that.

Stone Smartt gives the NY Jets a young tight end with receiving upside

Smartt's journey to the NFL is a unique one. The Sacramento, CA native initially committed to FCS Northern Arizona as a quarterback but played just two games before going the JUCO route at Riverside City for a year.

Smartt shined at Riverside City, earning NJCAA first-team All-American honors in 2018 after a 31-touchdown, three-interception season. He'd transfer to Old Dominion the following year, but he wouldn't find the same success at the FBS level.

The now-26-year-old struggled as a quarterback in his first year at Old Dominion and switched positions to wide receiver for his senior year in 2021. He'd go on to appear in eight games, hauling in 17 catches for 167 yards.

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Smartt signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2022, recording 31 catches for 380 yards and a touchdown over three years. He's flashed his receiving upside when given the chance and was always a player Chargers fans wanted their favorite team to utilize more.

At 6-foot-4, 226 pounds, Smartt doesn't offer much as a blocker and has only been playing the tight end position for three years, but he's maximized his snaps as a receiving threat. He managed to haul in 16 of his 19 targets in 2024 for a spectacular 84.2% catch rate. That includes a 75% contested-catch rate.

The Jets seem to value Smartt's receiving upside, and at just 26 years old, he still has room to develop — especially considering his limited experience at the position. This is a shrewd, or should we say smart, signing by the Jets.

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