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Josh McDaniels says Jonnu Smith is undergoing a foundational year in Patriots offense

Jonnu Smith has just two catches over the last three weeks, as he missed Week 10 with a shoulder injury. He logged one reception in Week 9 and another in Week 100. It’s not the type of production you’d expect from a tight end making $12.5 million per year, the third-most among those at his position. But it doesn’t sound like the New England Patriots are panicking about Smith, who joined the team in free agency during the 2021 offseason.

“We got to meet Jonnu (Smith) before the draft, so we had some intimate knowledge of who he was,” McDaniels told reporters on Monday.