Miami Dolphins lose one of longest-tenured players in Durham Smythe to Chicago Bears

One of the longest-tenured Miami Dolphins will take his talents elsewhere.

Tight end Durham Smythe signed with the Chicago Bears, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday morning. The former 2018 fourth-round pick joins the Bears after seven seasons with the Dolphins.

Smythe’s departure comes amid a total revamp of the Bears roster. The franchise hired former Detroit Lions offensive guru Ben Johnson in January 2025. Immediately, Johnson began to fashion the roster in his image, including Tuesday’s pair of trades for offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.

Smythe, 28, started a total of 74 of a possible 128 regular season games for the Dolphins. He enjoyed his best season in 2023, racking up 366 yards on 35 catches but zero touchdowns. By 2024, he had fallen out of favor having accumulated only nine catches for 53 yards. The Dolphins subsequently released Smythe alongside tailback Raheem Mostert and cornerback Kendall Fuller on Feb. 14.

During his seven-year career, the former Notre Dame tight has 132 receptions for 1,228 yards and three touchdowns.

This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 9:46 AM.

C. Isaiah Smalls II

Miami Herald

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C. Isaiah Smalls II is a sports and culture writer who covers the Miami Dolphins. In his previous capacity at the Miami Herald, he was the race and culture reporter who created The 44 Percent, a newsletter dedicated to the Black men who voted to incorporate the city of Miami. A graduate of both Morehouse College and Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, Smalls previously worked for ESPN’s Andscape.