Smith is in line to be a full participant in the Patriots' voluntary organized team activities in advance of the 2022 season, NESN's Zack Cox reports.
Analysis: That wasn't the case last year, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, as Smith awaited the birth of his daughter, while also factoring in COVID considerations. In his first season with the Patriots after signing a four-year, $50 million deal last March, Smith finished with 28 catches (on 45 targets) for 294 yards and a touchdown to go along with nine carries for 40 yards over 16 games, while operating in a time-share that tilted in Hunter Henry's favor. Cox suggests that with the team seemingly moving away from employing a traditional fullback in 2022, Smith could see added opportunities with a potential uptick in two-tight end sets, as well as the possibility that he could take on a share of fullback/H-back duties, with Jakob Johnson no longer in the mix. In that context, Smith could gain added fantasy relevance, but as long as he and Henry share snaps, consistent volume could remain an issue for the 2017 third-rounder.
Jonnu Smith Logs 28 regular-season catches
Smith finished the 2021 regular season with 28 catches (on 45 targets) for 294 yards and a touchdown to go along with nine carries for 40 yards over 16 games.
Analysis: Smith, who agreed to a four-year, $50 million deal with the Patriots this past March, worked in tandem with fellow free-agent addition Hunter Henry, who inked a three-year, $37.5 million pact. The resulting timeshare tilted in Henry's favor -- he logged a 50-603-9 receiving line -- while Smith's output as a receiver in his first campaign with New England was modest. While an uptick in production is a plausible outcome for Smith in 2022, so long as he and Henry share snaps, the former may continue to see inconsistent volume.
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