The LA Chargers parted ways with several notable players this offseason as the team retooled for the 2025 season. Tight end Stone Smartt was one of the players who was shown the door and it was not received well by Chargers fans in the moment.
Smartt was always a roster-fringe tight end who never got an extended chance at playing. However, Smartt thrived in the snaps he received in 2024 as the Chargers were battling injuries at the position. With 13 catches for 164 yards in a four-week span late in the season, fans assumed Smartt would be brought back as a depth tight end in 2025.
He wasn't. The Chargers opted not to tender Smartt, who entered the offseason as a restricted free agent. It was perceived at the time that the Chargers were simply trying to re-sign Smartt to a cheaper deal than the tender. Instead, Smartt signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets.
Fast forward to today and Smartt isn't even safe on his new team.
Former Chargers TE Stone Smartt is an obvious cut candidate for the Jets
OTAs are just getting started and there is a lot of time until teams have to trim the roster down to 53 players. Smartt will have the chance to impress during OTAs and training camp before the Jets ultimately have to make a decision.
However, based on the current construction of the Jets' roster, it seems highly unlikely Smartt makes the cut barring any significant injuries.
New York drafted LSU tight end Mason Taylor with the No. 42 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While the Jets opted against drafting Colston Loveland or Tyler Warren in the first round, the team still used premium draft capital to take a pass-catching tight end.
The Jets didn't have a pass-catching tight end worth getting excited about on the roster as Jeremy Ruckert is a block-first tight end. With Taylor in the fold, it's hard to imagine Smartt getting any real looks in the passing game.
Smartt still has a case for the TE3 spot on the roster but there is more context to consider. The Jets also went out and brought in Justin Fields to play quarterback. With Fields under center, having blocking depth at tight end becomes far more important than a pass-catching option who is redundant with Taylor on the roster.
The entire reason Smartt wasn't brought back was because of the hole in his game as a blocker. While there is not a concrete tight end who is far better than Smartt on the Jets, 2023 seventh-round pick Zack Kuntz could even usurp him on the depth chart if he performs better as a blocker and on special teams.
Smartt definitely still has a chance to make the Jets roster and every Chargers fan should be rooting for him. However, his seat is definitely warm and he will have to earn every single snap he plays for the Jets (if any) in 2025.