Editor’s note: This is the third of an eight-part, position-by-position series analyzing the Falcons’ 2023 season. Today: The wide receivers/tight ends.
FLOWERY BRANCH — In March, the Falcons sent a seventh-round pick to New England for tight end Jonnu Smith in what was considered a minor transaction.
Smith ended up being a pillar of the passing attack as he went on to post career highs in catches (50) and yards receiving (582). He also chipped in with three touchdowns. He was targeted 70 times and his catch percentage was 71.4%.
Smith signed a lucrative four-year, $50 million contract with the Patriots, but after two seasons they sent him to the Falcons where he restructured the deal.
“I just tried to leave that behind,” Smith said. “What happened in the past, is in the past. I’m here now. Things didn’t work out how I wanted it to in New England.”
After Smith didn’t play in the opener, defenses were more concerned about stopping wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. That left Smith to do some damage. In Games 2 through 6, Smith caught at least four passes in each game.
In the 31-28 loss to the Vikings on Nov. 5, he caught five passes for 100 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown catch-and-run on a tight-end screen play.
“I’m here now and trending in the right direction,” said Smith, who has a year left on his contract. “Hitting career highs is great, but ultimately (I needed) those career-highs to turn into wins. That’s the most important part.”
Smith’s fast start to the season was needed as Pitts was rounding back into form after knee surgery. Pitts got off to a slow start, but ended up with 53 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns.
Pitts’ yards receiving ranked second on the team behind London, who led the team with 69 catches and 905 yards receiving, but caught only two touchdown passes.
London had two 100-yard games. He caught nine passes for 125 yards in the 24-16 loss to the Commanders on Oct. 15. He caught 10 passes for 172 yards in the 29-25 loss to Tampa Bay on Dec. 10.
“In Year 2, I think you see a lot of young players when they’re going into their second year, I think it’s the understanding of a long season,” Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone said. “When you’re a rookie, you come in either you’re drafted or you’re not drafted, and there’s a whole lot you’re getting ready for the combine, you’re getting ready for the draft, and then you get thrown into, essentially, OTAs. You get in the second year, now you know what an offseason looks like.”
London had a better understanding of how things worked this season.
“(He) knows how to learn and prepare the night before that goes into the next day’s planning,” Ragone said. “I just think that’s a natural progression. Some guys were better than others. I think we’re fortunate with the younger players that we have and how they accept that responsibility of being a professional and the standard of which that means. And it’s great to see.”
One of the problems was that the other receivers couldn’t get open or create enough separation on their routes. The Falcons traded for former Rams second-round pick Van Jefferson in October, and he caught only 12 of 28 targets.
Scotty Miller was signed to be a deep threat, but the rhythm in the deep passing attack never was in sync. The passing attack was disjointed at best, as there were times when receivers were in the same area as they had spacing issues within the scheme.
Overall, the Falcons will need to add a first-rate receiver to play opposite of London to balance out the field. It was thought that Mack Hollins would take over that role, but he didn’t handle things well early in the season after some errant throws by quarterback Desmond Ridder.
In the loss to the Jaguars in London, Hollins was seen yelling at the quarterback on the sidelines. After that debacle, he wasn’t a key part of the game plans moving forward and made his contributions mostly on special teams.
Hollins finished with 18 catches for 251 yards and no touchdowns.
“Everything didn’t go the way we wanted it to offensively, that is what matters the most,” Smith said.
There will be changes this offseason, with Raheem Morris being hired as the new coach, but Smith believes the receiving corps has room for growth.
“I think that’s the beauty of it. We’ve got a lot of young guys who are growing,” Smith said. “That was a huge part of this offense, provided a lot of production for this offense. It was kind of a running joke, early in the year, that I was one of the older guys in the position group. Definitely that comes with a new role, leading by example and helping these guys come along. We have a lot to look forward to.”
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter/AJC
WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters: Drake London and Mack Hollins (unrestricted free agent).
Backups: KhaDarel Hodge (UFA), Scotty Miller (UFA), Van Jefferson (UFA) and *Josh Ali.
TIGHT ENDS
Starters: Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith
Backups: MyCole Pruitt (UFA), John FitzPatrick and *Feleipe Franks.
*ended season on injured reserve
Falcons’ position-by-position analysis:
Part 3: Wide receivers/tight ends
Part 4: Offensive line
Part 6: Linebackers
Part 7: Defensive backs
Part 8: Special teams
The Bow Tie Chronicles
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