Patriots part ways with former Pro Bowl WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
On Friday, the New England Patriots decided to release former Pro Bowl wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Smith-Schuster had inked a three-year, $25 million deal last offseason, which included $16 million guaranteed. Despite that, the Patriots chose to take a $9.6 million salary cap hit for this year.
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He was initially planned to play a significant part in the team’s offensive identity. However, he has become a dispensable piece. Last season, he played in 11 games where he recorded only 29 catches for 260 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Smith-Schuster voiced that the shorter offseason due to winning the Super Bowl with the Kansas Chiefs impacted his offseason workout and recovery regimens, leading him to experience persistent knee issues.
The 27-year-old had been relegated this offseason to competing for a roster spot that saw rookie receivers Ja’Lynn Pok and Javon Baker pose significant threats to take playing time from him.
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As a result, Smith-Schuster hits the open market a month away from the start of the 2024 season. He’s an experienced wideout, but his production has taken a steady decline since his Pro Bowl breakout second season, where he notched 111 catches for 1,426 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
He has failed to hit 1,000 receiving yards even once while playing a secondary role in the passing game in each of his stops since being with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In seven seasons, he has recorded 430 catches for 5,048 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns in 90 regular season games.
