Should the Steelers bring back WR JuJu Smith-Schuster if the Patriots release him?
The Steelers lost a clear-cut starter when they traded Diontae Johnson, and have not added a replacement since then. They have endeavored to acquire candidates, most notably third-round selection Roman Wilson, but none that are a sure bet. Former Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster doesn’t fall into that category, either.
However, that doesn’t mean there’s no reason for the Steelers to consider a reunion. As with everything else, it hinges on the price tag, and this may be academic to begin with. The Patriots owe Smith-Schuster his $7 million base salary, which they guaranteed. They must be willing to eat that in order to release him, but they would also save $7.5 million next year. Really, even as a post-June cut they stand to save very little in 2024 salary cap. But a new regime may have different priorities.
Smith-Schuster is far from the rising start who made the Pro Bowl back in 2018, which nobody disputes. However, he surely can’t be the same player who caught 29 passes for 260 yards last year. After all, he put up much better numbers a year earlier with the Kansas City Chiefs.
One major concern about signing Smith-Schuster is his health. It’s the chief concern Alex Kozora raised recently in arguing against the Steelers pursuing him. But you mitigate injury concerns with a favorable price tag.
If, for example, Smith-Schuster is willing to sign a Veteran Salary Benefit deal, then you introduce minimal risk in signing him. The Patriots already owe him $7 million, and it’s not clear that his current market is very far above the minimum salary, anyway.
The premise rests on the idea that the Steelers can sign Smith-Schuster relatively cheaply. Bad knees and all, is he worth signing to compete with the Van Jeffersons and Quez Watkinses of the roster? Would he be one of the Steelers’ three best wide receivers right now if he were on the team? Odds are the Steelers never even have to consider this question. Given the likelihood that they are still looking to add a wide receiver, however, it’s perhaps worth us considering.
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
