PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) NFL insider, John Clayton joined the PM Team for his weekly visit, on the day that Juju Smith-Schuster faced the media for the first time this off-season. Clayton believes that the Steelers want to get a long-term deal done with the 5th year receiver.
"If they can't get a deal done then they might franchise him, that's a possibility, but I think they can get a deal done and I think they want to get a deal done."
Earlier this off-season, Smith-Schuster signed a one-year contract to return to Pittsburgh, citing the salary cap stagnation as the reason he was unable to sign a long-term contract.
Clayton agreed, "I think it's the money more than anything else... for him not to take any kind of a deal you can see that the numbers just weren't there."
Perhaps related to his inability to find a long-term deal, Smith-Schuster also hopes to transition to play more on the outside rather than in the slot.
"He's got the ability to do it, he's got the size, he's got the angles, and all those different things." said Clayton, in agreement with the receivers' solution to the Steelers offensive woes.
He also proposes that this reveals the true fault of the Steelers offense last season, "They were just too cautious last year."