The Patriots shelled out a record amount of guaranteed money last offseason. But with holes on both sides of the ball, they’re expected to dip into free agency again.
One big name, albeit underachieving wideout could be at the top of their list.
Pro Football Focus projects the Patriots will sign JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year prove-it deal worth $6.25 million guaranteed. The 2017 second-round pick made an immediate impact upon arriving in the NFL, catching 111 passes for 1,426 yards in his second season.
But Smith-Schuster hasn’t matched those numbers since. His production tanked in 2019, as he caught just 42 passes for 552 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games. While he bounced back with a 97-catch campaign in 2020, injuries only allowed him to play five games last season.
While Smith-Schuster’s output has declined, he’s stayed in the news due to a variety of silly pseudo-controversies, such as dancing on opponents’ logos and posting the videos to TikTok. The 25-year-old enjoys a robust social media following.
Bill Belichick has never been afraid to bring in enigmatic personalities, especially if they come on a discount. Smith-Schuster fits that bill. As an added bonus, he’s primarily played in the slot throughout his career, taking more than 80 percent of his snaps from the inside in 2020.
Besides injuries, Ben Roethlisberger’s declining skillset could be another reason for Smith-Schuster’s decline. Statistically, Mac Jones was the superior quarterback last season.
“Smith-Schuster turned down a multi-year deal with the Chiefs last offseason then proceeded to get injured early in the 2021 season. Thus, it’ll probably be tough for him to get a multi-year deal on the market for the value he wants,” PFF writes. “He’s still only 25 years old and has logged five years in the league, so he will still be an attractive option for WR needy teams.”
Another PFF analyst, Brad Spielberger, has the Patriots trading a 2022 second-round pick for Falcons star Calvin Ridley, which would be a bigger acquisition. He stepped away from football last season due to undisclosed personal reasons.
Either way, the Patriots probably aren’t done adding to their receiving corps. Signing Smith-Schuster would be one of Belichick’s quintessential low-risk, high-reward acquisitions.




