Pittsburgh Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster has entered the free company insanity for the second time in as a few years. Whereas the sixth-year WR re-signed with Pittsburgh on a one-year, $8 million deal, it doesn’t seem the 2 events will conform to a brand new contract this offseason. With the brand new league 12 months beginning at 4 PM ET in the present day, are there any rumors swirling about Smith-Schuster’s subsequent vacation spot?
JuJu Smith-Schuster Free Company Rumors
Smith-Schuster burst onto the scene in 2018 within the WR2 function behind Antonio Brown. After a promising rookie marketing campaign in 2017, Smith-Schuster thrived in 2018, main Pittsburgh with 111 receptions whereas additionally having the fifth-most receiving yards within the league (1,426). Nonetheless, he hasn’t matched the promise of that season since. Throughout Week 11 of the 2019 season, Smith Schuster sustained a concussion and left knee harm, inflicting him to overlook 4 video games.
Whereas he didn’t produce as many yards in 2020, Smith-Schuster did convey his landing whole again in step with his earlier manufacturing. Following the 2020 season, the Steelers re-signed him to a one-year deal. Nonetheless, his enterprise into free company in 2022 shall be hindered by his availability in 2021.
Smith-Schuster performed in simply 5 video games throughout the 2021 marketing campaign after struggling a season-ending shoulder harm in Week 5 towards the Denver Broncos. He would go well with up for Pittsburgh’s Wild Card tilt towards Kansas Metropolis, however the WR has solely performed two full seasons in 5 years. With franchises locking down offers, let’s see what the rumors across the league are saying about Smith-Schuster’s subsequent vacation spot.
Jacksonville Jaguars
With the authorized tampering interval wrapping up on Wednesday, March 16, some groups with ample cap area have thrown cash round left and proper. The Jacksonville Jaguars went into free company with $56 million in obtainable cap area. After two days of motion, they at present have just below $14 million left at their disposal.
Jacksonville has agreed to offers with free agent WRs Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. The Jaguars set the league on fireplace after saying Kirk’s monster four-year, $72 million contract. The settlement pushes Kirk into the highest 10 highest-paid WRs with a base wage of $18 million a 12 months. They floated a extra team-friendly three-year, $24 million deal to Jones, however this doesn’t go away a lot room to signal Smith-Schuster exterior of a discount.
Philadelphia Eagles
Rumors have been swirling across the Philadelphia Eagles entrance workplace forward of the authorized tampering interval in regards to the acquisition of Smith-Schuster. Nonetheless, Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice hears in any other case. Whereas the Eagles confirmed curiosity within the cross-state receiver final offseason, they don’t appear to be this time round.
Whereas the Eagles re-signed WR Greg Ward to a one-year deal, they’re nonetheless out there for a WR. It’s unknown whether or not harm issues or lack of manufacturing have shied them away from providing JuJu a contract. Nonetheless, it appears doubtless Phildalephia will pursue totally different avenues to deal with its WR room.
Chicago Bears
So is anybody excited by Smith-Schuster? The Chicago Bears beat is begging new GM Ryan Poles to signal the WR. It was evident that rookie QB Justin Fields lacked help from his offensive weapons. Signing JuJu would give Fields a strong possibility out of the slot. Chicago has its fair proportion of obtainable cap area to make this a actuality.
Nonetheless, the Bears have but to shore issues up with their free agent WR Allen Robinson. Nonetheless, re-signing Robinson and bringing in Smith-Schuster would create an incredible trio with rising WR Darnell Mooney. Surrounding Fields with a reliable offense will assist push his improvement in the fitting course after an terrible introduction to the league.
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
The Chiefs have been on the prime of the AFC West for fairly a while. Nonetheless, the Broncos and Chargers are loading as much as take down the king. The Chiefs’ cap scenario isn’t excellent, however because the New Orleans Saints confirmed, groups can discover a manner. Whereas the rivals begin mounting their assault, the Chiefs shall be seeking to keep their stranglehold on the AFC West.
WRs Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson have but to be re-signed by Kansas Metropolis, so the Chiefs are positively out there for a wideout. Smith-Schuster has voiced his curiosity in signing with the Chiefs, as reported by PFN NFL Insider Aaron Wilson on January 25. Kansas Metropolis provided the Pittsburgh WR a deal within the 2020 offseason. Smith-Schuster turned that down, returning to Pittsburgh for yet one more 12 months. It appears doubtless his resolution would flip ought to Kansas Metropolis provide him a brand new deal this 12 months.
