JuJu Smith-Schuster

Chiefs, JuJu Smith-Schuster Agree To Deal

August 28th, 2024 at 9:06am CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 28: This second Smith-Schuster deal with Kansas City will be for the veteran minimum, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. As an eighth-year player, that checks out to $1.21MM. As expected, this is a one-year contract.

AUGUST 26: JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s tenure with the Patriots did not go to plan, but he will spend the 2024 campaign looking to rebuild his value with a familiar team. The veteran wideout is signing with the Chiefs, as first reported by veteran insider Jordan Schultz.

Smith-Schuster spent the 2022 campaign in Kansas City after his five-year Steelers spell. His first Chiefs deal carried a value of $3.76MM on a one-year accord as he looked to earn a long-term investment on the open market the following season. The 27-year-old had the second most productive season of his career with Kansas City (78 catches, 933 yards), earning himself a payday from the Patriots.

Looking to add at the receiver spot, New England made a three-year, $25.5MM commitment to Smith-Schuster. Expectations were high for the former second-rounder, but he was dealing with a knee injury for much of the campaign. Playing at less than 100% – and as a member of one of the league’s least-productive offenses – he only managed a statline of only 29-260-1. That left Smith-Schuster as a cut candidate, and earlier this month the Patriots did indeed move on despite his 2024 base salary ($7MM) being fully guaranteed.

Kansas City’s latest Super Bowl win came in spite of inconsistent play at the receiver position, so it came as little surprise the team’s offseason was defined in large part by efforts at bolstering the position. Marquise Brown was added on a one-year deal in free agency, while Xavier Worthy was selected in the first round of the draft. Brown could be sidelined for the start of the season through injury, though, and uncertainty looms regarding a potential suspension being levied against Rashee Rice. Regardless of what happens on that front, Smith-Schuster will represent another, familiar option in the passing game.

Kadarius Toney – who has one year remaining on his rookie contract – is known to be on the Chiefs’ roster bubble. Reuniting with Smith-Schuster is certainly not a positive sign for his ability to avoid being cut or traded in the next two days, but it remains to be seen how Kansas City will proceed. For Smith-Schuster, meanwhile, another low-cost deal no doubt awaits him but he has the potential to again boost his market with a strong Chiefs campaign.

Patriots To Release WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

August 9th, 2024 at 9:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

After an unproductive first season in New England, JuJu Smith-Schuster was believed to be on the Patriots’ roster bubble. The team has already reached the endpoint with the 2023 free agency pickup.

The Pats are releasing Smith-Schuster on Friday, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This will give the former Steelers and Chiefs pass catcher a chance to land with a team early, though the seven-year vet did not establish any momentum during an injury-marred 2023 slate.

While the rearranged Patriots front office has acknowledged quality work on Bill Belichick‘s part by extending or re-signing many of the players acquired during the legendary HC’s tenure, the Smith-Schuster acquisition will go down as a big miss. The Pats gave the former 1,400-yard receiver a three-year, $25.5MM deal that came with $16MM fully guaranteed. Smith-Schuster’s full 2024 base salary ($7MM) was guaranteed, putting the Pats on the hook for a notable dead money hit.

New England will be tagged with more than $9.6MM in dead money this year, with an additional $2.6MM set to count on the team’s 2025 cap sheet. Offset language would cut into these penalties, but after a dismal showing in 2023, Smith-Schuster is unlikely to fetch too much on the open market.

Mentioned this offseason as a potential release candidate, Smith-Schuster is coming off a season involving knee trouble. The former Steelers second-rounder underwent knee surgery following Super Bowl LVII and said he was around 60% going into last season. It showed, as the USC alum produced 29-catch, 260-yard stat line in 11 games. Smith-Schuster commanded the same full guarantee as four-year Pats contributor Jakobi Meyers, but the Raiders have made out better with their 2023 signing.

Smith-Schuster said this offseason he is fully healthy, putting a bounce-back season on the radar. Though, this early-August release pours some cold water on that prospect. That said, Smith-Schuster is still just 27. A team surely will take a flier on the eighth-year performer, as he has submitted quality work in the not-so-distant past.

The Chiefs missed Smith-Schuster — well, his 2022 version — last season, seeing its receiver group submit an uneven season that ultimately did not derail a second straight Super Bowl title. Smith-Schuster led the 2022 Kansas City championship team’s WR corps in yardage by a wide margin, accumulating 933 during his one-and-done season in Missouri. The Chiefs pursued Smith-Schuster for two offseasons, convincing him to leave Pittsburgh in 2022, but Andy Reid said the team’s 2023 offer was not particularly close to where the Patriots went.

The Steelers coaxed the best version of Smith-Schuster back in 2018, a season that doubled as the AFC North club’s final effort with Antonio Brown. The 215-pound wideout totaled 1,426 yards; two years later, he helped Pittsburgh to a surprising AFC North title with a nine-touchdown showing. Smith-Schuster resisted a Chiefs pursuit in 2021, re-signing with the Steelers on a one-year deal. Given his original team’s receiver situation following the Diontae Johnson trade, it would not surprise to see a reunion emerge as a possibility.

This is a rather interesting conclusion on the Pats’ part, seeing as Belichick would regularly bring back former players whose higher-priced deals did not work out elsewhere. The Eliot Wolf-led regime is now the team cutting the cord on a bad investment, and this transaction will almost definitely lead to Smith-Schuster landing elsewhere on a lower-cost agreement.

As for the Patriots, they have made efforts to acquire Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk. Ridley joined the Titans, who offered more money, and it is not believed an Aiyuk deal — despite a Pats extension number north of $28MM AAV — will happen. The team is counting on Kendrick Bourne returning from an ACL tear and used a second-round pick on Ja’Lynn Polk. The team also has intriguing second-year target Demario Douglas as a regular. Though, this receiving corps does not inspire too much confidence going into the season.

Patriots Rumors: Maye, WRs, Hightower

June 8th, 2024 at 10:33pm CST by Ely Allen

As organized team activities have progressed in New England, it’s looking more and more like Jacoby Brissett may be the team’s starter under center in Week 1. Naturally, some have asked if that makes No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye the primary backup at the position or an emergency option to stash for development purposes.

According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Maye likely won’t need to sit and develop. In fact, Kyed reports that some in the building viewed Maye as a prospect ready to start right away as a rookie during the draft cycle. Even though Brissett is taking the lion’s share of first-team reps in OTAs so far, there’s plenty of time until training camp and the regular season for Maye to potentially take over the starting gig.

And, should Maye not beat out Brissett for the job, this also means that Maye likely won’t be stashed to sit and develop but, instead, will be the team’s primary backup behind Brissett. Kyed also notes that it makes more sense for the Patriots to stash and develop rookie sixth-round pick Joe Milton than it does to hold on to Bailey Zappe as an emergency third option. The team has seen what Zappe can provide up to this point, and while he won’t garner outstanding trade value, he should return something as an upgrade to many backup situations around the league.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of New England:

The Patriots’ wide receivers room is currently packed, while only six or seven players will likely end up on the 53-man roster to start the season. Kyed lists rookies Javon Baker and Ja’Lynn Polk as locks to make the team alongside Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, and K.J. Osborn, leaving only one or two spots left for the rest of the group. That leaves a number of intriguing names in a precarious position including former Pro Bowler JuJu Smith-Schuster, former first-round pick Jalen Reagor, recent second-round pick Tyquan Thornton, and last year’s sixth-round pick Kayshon Boutte. As of right now, none of those four players are viewed as locks to make the roster in 2024.
New head coach Jerod Mayo and leading personnel executive Eliot Wolf are heading a new-look team in New England this offseason. One of the ways in which Mayo is attempting to bring the team into this new era is by appealing to the shorter attention spans of younger players. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Mayo has tossed the old method of marathon meeting sessions, instead favoring a new philosophy of “25-minute mental sprints” before taking short breaks. It reportedly heightens the pace of meetings while allowing for appropriate rest time in between.
Since leaving the NFL in 2021, former Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower has enjoyed retirement. While he still shared a love and knowledge for the game, he had little interest in leaving the life he was living behind. In an interview, Hightower claimed that his former college coach Nick Saban and Mayo were the only two names that could’ve drawn him out of retirement onto the sideline, per Howe. It just so happened that his close friend and former teammate became the head coach of their old team and offered him Mayo’s old job of inside linebackers coach. It was one of the very few offers Hightower wouldn’t say “no” to.

JuJu Smith-Schuster Says He’s Fully Healthy

May 22nd, 2024 at 5:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a disastrous first season in New England, JuJu Smith-Schuster is confident he’ll rebound in 2024. The veteran told reporters (including Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald) that he’s 100-percent healthy heading into Patriots OTAs.

Smith-Schuster estimated that he was around 60-percent at this time last year. The veteran wide receiver underwent knee surgery shortly after winning Super Bowl LVII with the Chiefs and before signing with the Patriots.

“It’s a big difference,” Smith Schuster said of his current health. “It’s not easy coming off a knee injury and having a long season and coming back really short… I feel great, honestly. I feel great. I’ve never felt better. I’m just excited to finally be out here around this time and participating.”

The Patriots signed Smith-Schuster to a three-year, $33MM contract last offseason, but the receiver proceeded to put up career-lows across the board. The 27-year-old ultimately finished the campaign with 29 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown. While the disappointing results could partly be attributed to inconsistent QB play, Smith-Schuster also admitted that he was never able to get to 100 percent health.

“I’ve always wanted to just push through and play,” Smith-Schuster said. “I had some injuries that I was dealing with and I just kept pushing through it and playing. That’s just the competitiveness in me. I don’t mind that. So this year it’s a lot different than how it was.”

Smith-Schuster’s production certainly doesn’t match up with his salary, but since he’s attached to a guaranteed $7MM base salary in 2024, it’d be surprising if he doesn’t end up making the team. The Patriots lost out in the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes, meaning their only notable additions at the position have been free agent K.J. Osborn and second-round rookie Ja’lynn Polk. That duo joins Kendrick Bourne and Demario Douglas atop the depth chart, meaning Smith-Schuster will be competing with the likes of Kayshon Boutte, Tyquan Thornton, and rookie fourth-round pick Javon Baker for a roster spot.

Patriots Submit Offer To WR Calvin Ridley

March 12th, 2024 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots’ reported interest in receiver Calvin Ridley is very real. According to Josina Anderson, the Patriots have made an offer to the free agent wideout.

The organization is also opting to “keep a deal on the table” following today’s reports that focused on the interesting logistics of the previous Jaguars/Falcons trade. If Jacksonville re-signs Ridley before 2pm tomorrow, they’ll owe Atlanta a second-round pick. If they wait beyond that deadline and re-sign the receiver, the Jaguars would only owe the Falcons a third-round pick.

This led some pundits to believe that Ridley was destined to return to Jacksonville and was simply biding his time to provide his organization with better draft capital. However, it sounds like the Patriots are still very much in the hunt, and it’ll be interesting to see how negotiations progress over the next 24 hours.

New England holds more than $80MM in cap space, and with Ridley sitting atop the WR market, it only made sense that the Patriots would target the free agent for their new-look offense. The team moved on from Mac Jones and added veteran Jacoby Brissett, and the organization appears to be leaning towards selecting a QB with the third-overall pick. Ridley would represent an intriguing target for whoever is under center for the Patriots in 2024 and beyond.

The Patriots’ receivers struggled in 2023, although that was partly due to the team’s inconsistent play at quarterback. The team has already moved on from DeVante Parker and is looking to unload JuJu Smith-Schuster, leaving plenty of question marks atop the depth chart. The team did agree to new deals with Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Reagor, but the rest of their depth chart features unproven options like Demario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, and Kayshon Boutte.

Patriots Place JuJu Smith-Schuster On IR

December 30th, 2023 at 8:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s first season with the Patriots has come to an end. The team announced on Saturday that he has been placed on injured reserve.

The 27-year-old has missed the past two games, and he will not return for the final two contests of the campaign. Smith-Schuster joined New England on a three-year, $25MM deal in free agency following his one-year stint in Kansas City. Today’s move marks an end to a disappointing first run with the Patriots.

Smith-Schuster – who upped his value in 2022 by posting 933 yards on 78 catches with the defending champions- put up far less production this year. The former Steelers draftee delivered a 29-260-1 statline in 11 contests with New England, ranking him just sixth on the team in receiving. Especially given the lack of high-end playmakers on the team, his ability to return to full heath and his previous form in 2024 will be critical for the Patriots.

Not much has gone according to plan on offense for New England, a team which faces uncertainty under center and on the sidelines heading into the offseason. Smith-Schuster’s $7MM base salary for next season is guaranteed, however, meaning he will at least remain in place for the start of the next campaign. A rebound would help a passing attack which has struggled with both Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe at the helm in 2023, something which has produced a league-low 14.1 points per game on offense.

Today’s news means that as the Patriots close out the campaign – a two-game stretch which could see them move higher up the 2024 draft order – they will be without another skill-position player. Lead running back Rhamondre Stevenson has also been moved to IR, shutting him down for the season. New England will finish its schedule against the Bills and Jets with a shorthanded group of pass-catchers. To fill Smith-Schuster’s roster spot, safety Joshuah Bledsoe was signed off the practice squad.

Latest On DeAndre Hopkins, Patriots

June 15th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

DeAndre Hopkins‘ visit with the Patriots has come to an end, and it sounds like there’s serious interest from both sides. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets that there’s “definitely intrigue from player and team” following the meeting. Meanwhile, Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets that the Patriots are “making a push” for the free agent wideout. Hopkins posted about the visit on Instagram, posting a picture of himself and Matt Judon with the caption “La Familia” (per ESPN’s Mike Reiss).

It sounds like there’s some building optimism towards a deal. Howe notes that while Hopkins “has departed Gillette Stadium,” he’s still remaining local. There was a report earlier this week that Hopkins could consider additional visits following his scheduled stops in Tennessee and New England. However, no definitive additional suitors have emerged since that time, so Hopkins’ choice may come down to the Titans and Patriots.

Fowler previously reported that Hopkins has been in no rush to sign with a team and could wait until closer to training camp to ink a deal (via Reiss). The Patriots are also set to be off for a month after finishing their offseason program tomorrow.

Hopkins would be an intriguing addition to a receivers corps that lacks a clear number one WR. The Patriots let Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor walk this offseason, adding receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and tight end Mike Gesicki to a grouping of targets that also includes DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, and tight end Hunter Henry.

While Hopkins will be entering his age-31 season in 2023, he’d still provide more upside than any of the team’s current options. The veteran missed a chunk of games due to suspension in 2022, but he still managed to finish the year with 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns. His 79.7 yards per game was a massive improvement from his 2021 campaign (57.2 ypg), and his 2022 average would have led the Patriots by a significant margin.

While a Hopkins signing could come at the expense of one of the team’s current wideouts, it’d still be a massive addition in what will be a crucial year for Mac Jones. The quarterback flashed his first-round pedigree during his rookie campaign, but after the Patriots replaced Josh McDaniels with former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia (plus a sprinkle of former ST coordinator Joe Judge), Jones took a step back in 2022. The Patriots will have to make a decision on the QB’s fifth-year option following the 2023 season, so it’s crucial that the organization puts him in a position to succeed before making the commitment.

“I think DeAndre is a great player. You watch his film from college all the way through the NFL, he’s done a great job. So obviously we’d love to have him, but we do have a great group of guys,” Jones said earlier this week (via Reiss).

“I’ve been really pleased with the playmakers we have on the team; we’ve come out here and really bought into the system. We have a good group and I feel like we need to keep growing together and whoever is in that room, we’re going to try to dominate together.”

While considering the merits of adding Hopkins to their team, the Patriots will also have to consider that they haven’t gotten an extended look at their major FA acquisition. Per Mike Giardi (on Twitter), Smith-Schuster has been dealing with “physical ailments” throughout minicamp and has spoken to “how challenging this playbook is to learn.” The learning curve is one thing, but Giardi notes that the injuries are especially concerning since the Chiefs were forced to manage the veteran for the second half of last season. The Patriots will be counting on Smith-Schuster to replace some of the production lost when Meyers left for Las Vegas, and if there’s any doubt about his availability for all 17 games, there might be some added urgency to add to the depth chart.

AFC West Notes: JuJu, Chargers, Broncos

April 14th, 2023 at 5:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

After two years of low-level deals in free agency, J.J. Smith -Schuster finally cashed in via his Patriots pact. The seventh-year wide receiver signed a three-year, $25.5MM deal that came with $16MM fully guaranteed. The Pats guaranteed Smith-Schuster exactly what the Raiders locked in for Jakobi Meyers, and they will expect upper-echelon performance. Smith-Schuster, 26, increased his market through his 78-reception, 933-yard Chiefs season, becoming the Super Bowl champions’ top Tyreek Hill replacement. Smith-Schuster wanted to stay in Kansas City, and the Chiefs aimed to keep him. While Andy Reid confirmed the sides discussed a deal all the way up to the Patriots agreement, the Chiefs are going with lower-cost options at receiver presently.

“You’ve got to manage all the cap stuff. We couldn’t give him what they gave him,” Reid said, via the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, of matching the Patriots’ offer. “We talked all the way through it. It’s good for him; he deserves that opportunity.”

The Chiefs have been connected to both Odell Beckham Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins, but the OBJ path is now closed after the Ravens handed the injury-prone receiver a surprising $15MM guaranteed. Kansas City is planning bigger roles for Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, and the team has Marquez Valdes-Scantling attached to what is now a pay-as-you-go contract. Valdes-Scantling’s deal runs through 2024. Here is the latest from the rest of the AFC West:

While the Chiefs may be looking to add a piece at receiver in the draft, the Chargers appear ready to add an early-round target. The Bolts are believed to be looking for pass-catching help early in the draft, Jordan Reid of ESPN.com notes. Holding the No. 21 overall pick, the Chargers are coming off a season in which Keenan Allen and Mike Williams both missed extended stretches. While Tom Telesco pushed back against an Allen trade, the Pro Bowler is going into his age-31 season. The Chargers still roster Josh Palmer as a WR3, while DeAndre Carter signed with the Raiders. The Bolts, who have deep threat Jalen Guyton coming off an ACL tear, are seeking perimeter speed, per Reid, who adds Jordan Addison could be a name to watch. Chargers wideouts coach Chris Beatty recruited Addison while at Pitt.
The Broncos appear to have four locked-in starters on their offensive line, having signed Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers to go with left tackle Garett Bolles and guard Quinn Meinerz. Center Lloyd Cushenberry has struggled during his Denver tenure and is going into a contract year after an injury-plagued 2022. The Broncos are doing work on centers ahead of this draft, Reid adds. The team holds the Nos. 67 and 68 overall picks. Beyond top center John Michael Schmitz, ESPN’s Scouts Inc. views second- and third-ranked centers Olusegun Oluwatimi (Michigan) and Luke Wypler (Ohio State) as third-round-caliber snappers.
One of the Broncos’ stopgap O-line solutions last year, Billy Turner, is not expected back with the team. Turner, whom the Broncos used at right tackle in 2022, told the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson he is not in the team’s 2023 plans (Twitter link). Turner, 31, has enjoyed two Denver stints but followed Nathaniel Hackett over from Green Bay last year. The nine-year veteran said he is 100% after knee trouble limited him last season.
Broncos cornerback Faion Hicks was arrested earlier this month for carrying a concealed firearm, Mike Klis of 9News notes. This is a third-degree felony charge; the arrest occurred in Hallandale, Florida. Hicks is free on bond. The Broncos drafted Hicks in the 2022 seventh round; he saw action in only two games and did not play a defensive snap.

Patriots Notes: QBs, Mayo, Patricia, JuJu

March 28th, 2023 at 8:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Mac Jones struggled mightily during his second season in the NFL. After earning a Pro Bowl nod and guiding the Patriots to a 10-7 record as a rookie, Jones went 6-8 while tossing 14 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions in 2022. Rookie fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe started a pair of games while filling in for an injured Jones last season, winning both of his starts while tossing three touchdowns vs. one pick in those two games.

Jones’ 2022 struggles can easily be attributed to the loss of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (and replacing the OC with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge), and when you consider New England’s first-round investment in Jones, it’s easy to assume that he’ll retain his starting gig heading into the 2023 campaign. However, coach Bill Belichick refused to give Jones a vote of confidence following the 2022 season, leading some to wonder if the Patriots could have a QB competition heading into next year.

In typical Belichick fashion, the head coach didn’t provide too much insight into the QB situation while speaking to reporters today, noting that “everyone will get a chance to play” and the Patriots will opt for “the best player.”

“If they earn an opportunity to play based on what they do in practice and all that, then they’ll get an opportunity to play,” Belichick said (via Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald). “Certainly the veteran players that have been on the team before, if they’re still on the team, they’ll all get an opportunity to play.”

It’s not a huge surprise to see Belichick playing coy, but as Callahan notes, Belichick definitively stated that Tom Brady and Cam Newton were the starting QBs throughout their respective tenures with the Patriots. Now, Jones certainly doesn’t have the resume of either of his predecessors, but it’s certainly interesting that Belichick continues to avoid answering questions about his quarterbacks depth chart.

While Belichick might not want to publicly support Jones, the QB has a fan in Robert Kraft.

“I’m a big fan of Mac,” the Patriots owner said (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter). “We experimented with some things last year that didn’t work. We made changed to put him in position to excel.”

More notes out of New England…

When Jerod Mayo rejected head coaching interviews and decided to stick with the Patriots, it was assumed the organization promised him a larger role…with some wondering if Mayo may have the inside track on succeeding Belichick as head coach. Kraft somewhat acknowledged as much during an interview on NFL Network, saying he views Mayo as a potential heir apparent to Belichick (via NFL.com’s Judy Battista on Twitter). Kraft also told NFL Network that he doesn’t see a ceiling on Mayo’s coaching career. Following an eight-year playing career with the Patriots, Mayo joined New England’s coaching staff as linebackers coach in 2019. Recently, he’s served as the unofficial defensive coordinator alongside Steve Belichick.
Patricia earned plenty of criticism last season while serving as the team’s de facto offensive coordinator. The Patriots have since brought in Bill O’Brien to guide their offense, but there hasn’t been a reported resolution on Patricia’s status with the organization. Naturally, Belichick didn’t provide many additional details on the situation, telling reporters that he’s unsure if Patricia will be coaching for the Patriots in 2023 (via AtoZSports’ Doug Kyed on Twitter). After serving as the Patriots defensive coordinator for six years, Patricia returned to the organization in 2021 following a three-year stint as the Lions head coach.
New Patriots receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has incentives in his contract tied to receiving yards, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter). In 2023, the wideout can earn $750K if he hits 950 yards and he can earn another $750K at 1,100 yards. In 2024 and 2025, Smith-Schuster can earn $1MM for 800 yards, $1MM for 950 yards, and another $1MM for 1,100 yards.
James Robinson‘s new contract with the Patriots contains no guaranteed money, per Kyed (on Twitter). He’ll earn a $150K roster bonus if he sticks on the 2023 roster, plus $160K via a workout bonus and up to $680K in per-game roster bonuses.

Patriots To Sign WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

March 16th, 2023 at 9:31am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 16: The $33MM number turned out to be the max value here. Instead, the Patriots signed the seventh-year wideout to a three-year, $25.5MM contract, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. Like Meyers, he received $16MM guaranteed at signing, but he did not reach an eight-figure AAV. Smith-Schuster can get to that $33MM mark via performance, with Volin adding $7.5MM remains available through receiving yards-based incentives. Only $4.5MM of those incentives are achievable during the deal’s guaranteed years, with SI.com’s Albert Breer adding $3MM are part of Smith-Schuster’s 2025 potential earnings (Twitter link).

MARCH 15: While mutual interest existed between the Chiefs and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the veteran wide receiver looks set to change teams again. The Patriots are signing the seventh-year wideout, Taylor Bisciotti and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report (on Twitter).

The Chiefs made efforts to bring back Smith-Schuster, their leading wide receiver in 2022, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets. But the Pats will acquire a versatile performer to replace Jakobi Meyers, who committed to the Raiders on Tuesday.

This situation appeared to come down to how much of a hometown discount Smith-Schuster would accept; he said before Super Bowl LVII he wanted to stay in Kansas City. It is unclear how much the Chiefs offered, but Mike Giardi of NFL.com tweets the money did not reach the place the Pats went (Twitter link).

New England is giving Smith-Schuster a three-year, $33MM deal, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Guarantees are not yet known, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds JuJu will collect $22.5MM through 2024 (Twitter link). After settling for one-year deals in 2021 (with Pittsburgh) and ’22 (with Kansas City), Smith-Schuster finally scores a multiyear commitment.

Used mostly in the slot with the Steelers, Smith-Schuster shuffled across formations with the Chiefs and produced a rebound season upon teaming with Patrick Mahomes. The 26-year-old target caught 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns. The 933 yards marked Smith-Schuster’s most since his 2018 Pro Bowl season in Pittsburgh. He finished with the fifth-most YAC over expected (plus-141), per Next Gen Stats, in 2022.

Smith-Schuster’s AAV matches the money the Raiders and Jets gave to Meyers and Allen Lazard, respectively, and this represents another medium-term accord the Pats are giving out to bolster the position. They handed Nelson Agholor a two-year, $22MM contract in 2021. The former first-rounder did not live up to it, and he is unlikely to return in 2023. It is interesting the Pats passed on Meyers to pay an outside hire similar cash — something Meyers has since noticed (Twitter link) — but Smith-Schuster has shown a slightly higher ceiling. These two are also the same age, despite Meyers entering the league two years later. The Patriots did not offer Meyers the kind of guarantees the Raiders did, Giardi adds. Meyers signed for $22MM guaranteed in total and $16.5MM fully guaranteed.

Although Smith-Schuster’s 1,400-yard season during Antonio Brown‘s Steelers swansong still looks like an outlier, he showed plenty in Kansas City last season. The Chiefs signed Smith-Schuster, a free agent target for two years, to an incentive-laden deal — initially a $3.8MM pact — and the USC alum ended up adding millions to his 2022 earnings by hitting a few of those benchmarks. Kansas City obviously features a favorable setup, with Reid calling the shots in a Mahomes-piloted attack, but Smith-Schuster became the No. 1 receiver for a team that managed to win the Super Bowl after trading Tyreek Hill. It will be interesting to see who the Chiefs target to fill Smith-Schuster’s role. While the team is keen on expanding Kadarius Toney‘s responsibilities, the talented ex-Giant’s rampant injury trouble could interfere.

Mecole Hardman remains unsigned, and while the Chiefs were planning to let the speedster walk, perhaps the Smith-Schuster defection changes their thinking. Kansas City will be an attractive setup for wide receivers, and Odell Beckham Jr. remains available. OBJ would undoubtedly need to set a new price point, as his reported $20MM-per-year ask is out of step with his value. But the Chiefs were connected to OBJ in 2021 and ’22.

As for the Patriots, Smith-Schuster will join a team in transition at receiver. Kendrick Bourne enjoyed a solid season in 2021 but fell into the doghouse last season. The Pats used a second-round pick on Tyquan Thornton, but an injury halted his rookie-year development. DeVante Parker remains under contract, as does Bourne, but Smith-Schuster is now positioned to be the No. 1 receiver in Bill O’Brien‘s offense.

The team has also looked into Jerry Jeudy, per Denver7’s Troy Renck (on Twitter), and DeAndre Hopkins. It is unclear how serious it is to making more upgrades after landing JuJu. The Pats are not currently pursuing Hopkins, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.

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