The Steelers are bringing JuJu Smith-Schuster back on a one-year deal, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The wide receiver will earn just $8MM on the team-friendly pact (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). And Pittsburgh is playing around with the structure of the deal in order to minimize the 2021 salary cap impact. Per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Smith-Schuster’s deal includes a $7MM signing bonus and a $1MM salary, and the team is adding four voidable years so that the cap hit this season is just $1.6MM (Twitter link).
Smith-Schuster could have made more elsewhere, as Taylor Bisciotti of NFL.com tweets. The Chiefs offered him a one-year deal with the same base salary of $8MM, plus $3MM in incentives. The Ravens made an even stronger pitch — $9MM plus $4MM in incentives. Ultimately, Smith-Schuster opted to give the Steelers a home team discount.
“At the end of the day, I want to have my legacy in Pittsburgh and retire there,” Smith-Schuster said in February. “I don’t want to leave…I’m Pittsburgh for life.”
Smith-Schuster’s production tailed off over the last two seasons, putting top-of-the-market money out of his reach. Still, he drew widespread interest. In addition to the aforementioned Ravens and Chiefs, the Jets and Raiders were also connected to the youngster. The Jets wound up signing Corey Davis to a three-year, $37.5MM deal. It’s not clear if they offered a similar deal to Smith-Schuster, or if the wide receiver had interest in joining a non-contender.
Smith-Schuster, still only 24, had just 831 receiving yards last year, but there’s reason to believe that he could get back to his old form with Ben Roethlisberger back under center.
As a rookie, Smith-Schuster caught 58 passes for 917 yards and seven touchdowns in just 14 games. In 2018, Smith-Schuster eclipsed then-teammate Antonio Brown with 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven scores en route to his first ever Pro Bowl nod. He’ll look to reprise those numbers on his new deal in 2021.
Wonder what Golladay will get if Ju Ju had to settle for this..
He def didn’t settle for this. He prob had other offers or could’ve told a team 10-12 average and they would’ve signed him. He prob just wants 1 more year with Ben and the gang
Supposedly he had offers from KC and Baltimore, too:
-KC – $8 million with $3 million incentives
-Baltimore – $9 million with $4 million incentives
link to twitter.com
“Outstanding! The tic toc dancing would not have been the same!! I can’t wait! “
Von Bell
First off it wasn’t tik tok dancing that pushed Bell, secondly I love how bengals fans have nothing but that to talk about. If not for that ONE play no one would know Von Bell who made the same hit any player in his spot would have made regardless of the situation
Sounds like someone’s a little sensitive…
Sounds like a squealer
Sounds like a keyboard warrior
He never wanted to leave in the first place. Glad he is back.
Surprised raiders didn’t jump for that price….all this talk of 18 million per season for 8 million.
He saw how other Steeler WRs fared when leaving the Steelers for the Raiders.
‘The wide receiver will earn just $8MM on the team-friendly pact..’ What’s your annual salary? I’m guessing slightly less than that. Mine is, I’d take $8m 1 time and bet set with generational wealth.
I gained a lot of respect for him. Here we go
He’s getting Ben’s money next year.
Yinzers love loyalty above all else. He’ll be a legend here for life if he does stay.
JuJu is going to keep living his best life in the Burgh until Mark Madden has an aneurysm.
This year: I’m a Steeler for life…”
Next year (after signing elsewhere): “I just wanted to go somewhere where I can win a championship.”
Lol, clearly they don’t see it that way if they only gave you a 1 year deal.
Leave it to this weak boy to leak all his contract offers. Gonna be a more successful TikTok influencer than football player in his life, AB was right
Laughable he goes back to a team who has zero chance of winning a title . Especially with a has been QB. Maybe he wants to follow Ben one more year and see how well he does with the chicks. This tells you all you need to know about him.
Yep, exactly
So basically you’re just mad that he didn’t sign with your Chiefs.