One year after signing him to effectively the same deal they refused to give to Jakobi Meyers, the New England Patriots could cut wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster. The former Steeler and Chief had an abysmal first season in New England, recording just 29 receptions for 260 yards and one touchdown in 11 games. Smith-Schuster was supposed to take over as New England’s top receiver, but he couldn’t make a name for himself on one of the NFL’s worst wide receiver depth charts.
Smith-Schuster hoped to prove last year’s campaign was a fluke, but training camp reports indicate it’s more of the same for the veteran. New England added wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Smith-Schuster could be on the outside looking in. The wide receiver has struggled throughout training camp practice and NESN’s Keagan Stiefel said that “it’s getting ugly.” If the Patriots cut him, perhaps he could make a home with the Kansas City Chiefs or New Orleans Saints.
Patriots Could Cut Juju Smith-Schuster – Could Chiefs, Saints Sign Him?
Juju Smith-Schuster has not played well in New England, but you don’t need to go back too far to find some impressive tape for the cut candidate. Back in 2022, the wide receiver played a crucial role in helping to secure the second Lombardi Trophy of the Patrick Mahomes Era. Appearing in 16 games, Smith-Schuster finished the year with 78 receptions for 933 yards and three touchdowns on 101 targets.
Perhaps something happened with Smith-Schuster that caused him to permanently lose his burst. However, if his struggles in New England are just a weird mental fluke, then a return to Kansas City could get him back on the right page. The Chiefs have three reliable receivers in Marquise Brown, Rashee Rice, and first-round pick Xavier Worthy, but it’s safe to assume at least one of them won’t be around for a portion of 2024.
The NFL has not ruled on a potential Rashee Rice suspension, but we all know it’s coming. If Rice has to miss a sizable portion of the season, then perhaps Juju Smith-Schuster could fill in. Rice is a possession receiver capable of keeping the chains moving and, in theory, that’s the type of skillset Smith-Schuster brings to the table. He might not be the ideal fourth option in the offense, but he should be better than Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore.
Value Signings
The New Orleans Saints are $91 million over the projected salary cap, which is bad news for a team trying to win with an unremarkable roster. The defense has some playmakers, but the offense could use some help. The offensive line projects as one of the worst in the league despite the addition of first-round pick Taliese Fuaga, which is bad news for a quarterback like Derek Carr. Carr is good when the pocket holds up, but he’s one of the worst in the league against pressure.
Since the Saints can’t fix multiple spots on the offensive line at this point in the offseason, they could sign someone who can minimize the impact of subpar blocking. Chris Olave can do a little bit of everything and Rashid Shaheed excels at stretching the field, but the Saints need someone capable of getting open right off the line of scrimmage. Juju Smith-Schuster didn’t do that last year, but the cut candidate excelled in this role with Pittsburgh and Kansas City. At this point in the offseason, New Orleans has nothing to lose by bringing him in and seeing what’s left in his tank.
Main Photo: Eric Canha – USA Today Sports
