Donald Parham injury puts Steelers interest in tight ends into perspective

The worst kind of news which can take place during an NFL team’s Organized Team Activities (OTAs) is typically the negative variety.

• Players who skip the workouts
• Players showing up out of shape

Or, the absolute worst…

• A player suffers a serious injury

The latter was the case for the Pittsburgh Steelers Tuesday when it was made public that free agent tight end Donald Parham was lost for the season due to an Achilles tendon injury.

This per ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

Sources: Steelers tight end Donald Parham Jr. suffered a torn Achilles during today’s OTAs that now is likely to end his 2025 season. A brutal injury. https://t.co/fyipieiizU pic.twitter.com/Mxyxkqh8id

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 3, 2025

The news of Parham’s injury then helped the fan base connect the dots to an earlier report, also by Schefter, of the Steelers kickstarting negotiations between the Steelers and Miami Dolphins for tight end Jonnu Smith.

Back in it: the Steelers renewed conversations today with Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith, who is seeking a new contract. The trade between the Steelers and Dolphins is still alive, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 3, 2025

For those keeping score at home, the Steelers also reportedly showed interest in trading for Smith a few weeks ago. That’s when these reports surfaced:

The Dolphins have had trade discussions with the Pittsburgh Steelers about their lone Pro-Bowl selection last season, tight end Jonnu Smith, per league sources. Those talks came after Smith expressed an interest in reworking his deal that is scheduled to pay him $4.8 million this… pic.twitter.com/t4G8DqsF6s

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 29, 2025

The timeline doesn’t seem to add up, but some in league circles are suggesting the first report was not legitimate, just Smith’s agent trying to get the Dolphins to give him a new contract and get back to the negotiating table. The Steelers were simply a pawn in their game. However, after the injury to Parham, things can change quick.

While I can’t say a trade with the Dolphins is on the horizon, you could possibly expect the Steelers to honestly be trying to fill that role in any capacity. No, it’s not the WR2 many covet, but it would be another viable option in the pass-catcher category.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of OTAs and the upcoming Mandatory Minicamp.