Gerry Dulac isn’t ruling out a Pittsburgh Steelers-JuJu Smith-Schuster reunion. With his time in New England potentially up, Smith-Schuster lost in the shuffle of a new-look receiver room under a new regime, Dulac believes the Pittsburgh Steelers could have interest if the Patriots cut ties with him
Responding to a question in his Wednesday morning chat for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dulac left the door open to the Steelers considering Smith-Schuster if he is released.
“Let me say this, it wouldn’t surprise me,” Dulac responded.
He went on to offer a few more opinions on Smith-Schuster, saying he’s “changed his mind on JuJu,” though he also agreed with another reader who believed Smith-Schuster isn’t the right fit in the Steelers’ offense. It’s a case we made earlier this week, noting that Smith-Schuster’s knee troubles and lack of explosion make him a poorer fit for what Pittsburgh is looking for. They could use a dynamic outside receiver and while he’s versatile, he’d likely fit as a possession slot receiver with the Steelers.
After the Patriots drafted a pair of receivers in April, Smith-Schuster might be on his way out in New England. Signing a three-year deal last offseason, he caught just 29 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown across 11 games in 2023. His best performance came against Pittsburgh, hauling in four catches for 90 yards in an upset Patriots win. It was his last game of the season, Smith-Schuster injuring his ankle and only compounding his history of leg injuries.
Pittsburgh has been busy adding veteran wide receivers this offseason. After trading Diontae Johnson, the team signed Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson, and Scotty Miller in addition to drafting rookie Roman Wilson.
Ideally, Pittsburgh’s next receiver move will be to add a true starter. Signing Smith-Schuster would still leave the receiver room feeling empty. But the Steelers liked what Allen Robinson II brought as a big-bodied blocker along the interior last season, and they’ve had player reunions before. The first step will be Smith-Schuster being cut post-June 1st, examining his market, and seeing what his options are.
