Stone Smartt Signs With Eagles on One-Year Deal in 2026

The Philadelphia Eagles continued building their roster depth during the 2026 NFL free agency period when they agreed to terms with tight end Stone Smartt on March 19, 2026. Per NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Smartt signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia, reuniting himself with a winning culture just a week after the core free agency frenzy began. While the move won't dominate headlines the way a blockbuster signing would, it reflects exactly the kind of depth-first roster construction that has helped the Eagles remain perennial contenders.

Who Is Stone Smartt?

Stone Smartt is a 27-year-old tight end entering his fifth NFL season with a story worth telling. Unlike most players at his position, Smartt originally played quarterback in college before making the transition to tight end — a positional change that demanded a complete reimagining of his game. That kind of adaptability is rare, and it's a quality that has helped him stick on NFL rosters for five consecutive years.

Standing at 6-foot-4, Smartt has the frame teams look for in a receiving tight end and blocking option. He went undrafted in 2022 and signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as a free agent, spending his first three seasons (2022–2024) in Los Angeles. After the Chargers moved on, he caught on with the New York Jets for the 2025 season on a one-year, $1.35 million contract. Now, heading into 2026, he joins the Eagles for another one-year opportunity.

Stone Smartt's Career Stats and NFL Journey

Smartt's career numbers tell the story of a player who has earned his roster spot through reliability rather than star production. Across 53 career games — with 7 starts — he has accumulated 38 receptions for 432 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. Those aren't flashy numbers, but they reflect a player who does his job consistently and without error.

His most recent season with the Jets illustrated his role well. According to Heavy.com, Smartt appeared in 15 games during the 2025 season, catching 7 passes for 52 yards. He wasn't asked to be a featured weapon in the passing game — and he wasn't — but he provided the Jets with a dependable option in certain packages while contributing significantly elsewhere on the field.

That "elsewhere" is the special teams unit, and it's arguably where Smartt has made his biggest professional impact. His special teams snap counts tell a clear story: 152 snaps in 2023, 155 in 2024, and 138 in 2025. For context, those are numbers that reflect a core special teams contributor — the kind of player coordinators trust in high-leverage situations on punts, kickoffs, and coverage units. That consistent reliability on special teams is almost certainly the primary reason the Eagles came calling.

What This Signing Means for the Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles enter 2026 with a tight end room that is already fairly well-stocked at the top. Dallas Goedert remains the clear TE1, one of the better receiving tight ends in the entire NFL. Behind him, Johnny Mundt provides veteran depth, and Grant Calcaterra offers additional upside as a younger receiving option. As PhillyVoice reported, Smartt projects as no higher than TE4 on Philadelphia's depth chart.

That might sound like a marginal role, but depth signings at tight end serve an important purpose in modern NFL roster construction. Injuries happen — especially at a physically demanding position like tight end — and having a player like Smartt who can contribute in both offensive packages and on special teams provides insurance without requiring a major investment. A one-year deal keeps things flexible for both sides, allowing the Eagles to evaluate Smartt in their system while giving him a chance to prove himself on a winning team.

The Eagles have shown a pattern of bringing in experienced, versatile players who understand their specific role. Smartt fits that profile well. He's not going to challenge for targets in the passing game over Goedert or Calcaterra, but he can hold down blocking assignments, contribute in certain short-yardage sets, and be a weapon on special teams.

The Hit on the Giants Player: Adding Some Color to the Story

Smartt generated some buzz beyond just statistical contributions during the 2025 season. As NJ.com highlighted, Smartt delivered a notable hit on a Giants player during the 2025 season — a moment that circulated on social media and gave fans a glimpse of the physical edge he brings to the field. For Eagles fans who relish hard-nosed play, particularly against division rivals like the Giants, that kind of moment resonates. It's the sort of detail that turns a depth signing into something a fanbase can get excited about, even if the on-field role will be limited.

It also speaks to how Smartt plays the game: physical, committed, and with an edge that teams value on special teams and in the trenches of short-yardage situations. That mentality fits well in Philadelphia's football culture.

From College QB to NFL Tight End: Smartt's Unique Path

One of the more interesting angles on Smartt's NFL story is where he started. Playing quarterback at the college level requires a completely different skill set than tight end — the footwork, the reads, the body positioning, even the relationship with the football changes dramatically. Making that transition successfully as an undrafted rookie is genuinely uncommon.

What it typically produces, when it works, is a tight end with above-average football IQ and hand-eye coordination. Former quarterbacks who transition to skill positions often understand the game from a broader perspective, having spent years reading defenses and understanding spacing. Whether that background has specifically helped Smartt develop his route running or his ability to find soft spots in coverage is hard to measure directly, but staying in the NFL for five years after going undrafted — at a converted position — speaks for itself.

As MSN Sports noted, this signing continues his trend of proving himself on short-term contracts while consistently finding a new home each season — a testament to his value around the league.

Frequently Asked Questions About Stone Smartt

What team did Stone Smartt sign with in 2026?

Stone Smartt agreed to a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on March 19, 2026, during the NFL free agency period. The signing was reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

What position does Stone Smartt play?

Stone Smartt plays tight end. He originally played quarterback in college before transitioning to tight end when he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

What are Stone Smartt's career statistics?

Across 53 career NFL games (with 7 starts), Smartt has recorded 38 receptions for 432 yards and 1 touchdown. In his most recent season with the Jets (2025), he caught 7 passes for 52 yards in 15 games.

What teams has Stone Smartt played for?

Smartt spent his first three NFL seasons (2022–2024) with the Los Angeles Chargers after signing as an undrafted free agent. He then played for the New York Jets in 2025 before joining the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2026 season.

What is Stone Smartt's role on the Eagles?

Smartt is expected to serve as a depth tight end and special teams contributor. He projects as TE4 on the Eagles' depth chart behind Dallas Goedert, Johnny Mundt, and Grant Calcaterra. His primary value will likely come from special teams, where he has logged 138–155 snaps per season over the last three years.

Conclusion: A Smart, Low-Risk Depth Move for Philadelphia

The Stone Smartt signing won't be remembered as a defining moment of the Eagles' 2026 offseason — but that was never the point. Philadelphia got an experienced, versatile tight end with five years of NFL knowledge, a reliable special teams presence, and the physical toughness to contribute in a limited offensive role. For a one-year deal, it's exactly the kind of calculated depth move that well-run organizations make quietly while the bigger transactions grab the headlines.

At 27, Smartt still has room to contribute at the NFL level, and joining a well-coached Eagles team under a winning structure gives him an opportunity to show more of what he can do. Whether he ends up being a key special teams piece, an emergency offensive option, or a developmental asset who moves up the depth chart, his path from college quarterback to fifth-year NFL tight end is a story about grinding — and that story isn't finished yet.