Report: Miami Dolphins extend tight end Durham Smythe

The Miami Dolphins are keeping tight end Durham Smythe around for the foreseeable future.

On Monday, the team announced a contract extension with the 27-year-old that links him to Miami through the 2025 season.

Smythe has spent his entire NFL career with the Dolphins, and it doesn’t look like that’s changing anytime soon. He’s been with the team since it picked him up in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

In recent years, Smythe’s contributions have been a notable part of Miami’s offense. He was especially productive during the 2021 season, when he totaled 34 receptions for 357 yards.

The timing of the extension makes a lot of sense, as the Dolphins have lost some key names at the tight end position this offseason. Smythe alone can’t carry the tight end room, but he’s a nice building block. It seems likely that Miami will look to add more help at the position as the offseason continues, perhaps via the draft later this month.

Although it certainly hasn’t been a banner offseason for Miami’s tight end room, the team has added lots of talent at other positions in an attempt to create a more well-rounded roster. The Dolphins are expected by many to challenge for the AFC East title in the upcoming campaign given what they’ve accomplished so far this offseason.

Doing so would be another step in the right direction for Miami after the squad made the playoffs as a wild card team in the 2022 season. The Dolphins haven’t won their division since the 2008 season, and the 2023 campaign seems like a golden opportunity for the squad to end that drought.

If the Dolphins don’t make any huge tight end splashes before the offseason ends, Smythe could see an increased role in the 2023 campaign. He had 129 receiving yards in the 2022 season but is certainly capable of doing more, and there’s a chance the Dolphins will indeed need more from him going forward if their situation dictates it.

For now, the University of Notre Dame is surely taking some time to celebrate his extension, which is always a big milestone for any professional athlete.