Patriots Cut Ties With Juju

If I told you in the 2018 offseason that former Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster would be unsigned just six years later, many would have thought I was crazy. After all, his 2018 season was incredibly impressive, with Juju eclipsing 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. However, the trajectory of his career has taken a surprising turn, with stints across the NFL with the Steelers, Chiefs, and Patriots.

After winning Super Bowl 52 with the Chiefs, Smith-Schuster was looking to cash in on what had been his best season since that remarkable 2018 campaign. He ultimately signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Patriots, hoping to compete in New England. At the time, the move was a head-scratcher, and it’s one that I’m sure contributed to Bill Belichick's departure from the Patriots after this past season. With Belichick serving as both the head coach and general manager, decisions like these fall squarely on his shoulders. New England already had in-house talent at the position with Jakobi Meyers, who ended up leaving for the Las Vegas Raiders for the exact same contract. The decision to add Juju over keeping Meyers has backfired mightily, as Meyers has thrived in Vegas, while Juju has struggled. In his one year with New England, Juju managed just 260 receiving yards and a single touchdown in eleven games. Meyers, on the other hand, hauled in 71 catches for over 800 yards and four touchdowns, making the comparison stark.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but some mistakes look worse when we take a closer look. New England has effectively bitten the proverbial bullet by paying out the remainder of what was owed to Juju as a result of cutting him. While I do think Juju might have something left in the tank to offer a contender in need of veteran depth at receiver, I also believe his days as an impact player in the league are likely over. I wouldn’t be shocked if this is the last significant role we see in his career.