Latest JuJu Smith-Schuster update won’t please Steelers fans

JuJu Smith-Schuster wants to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but this latest update shows that it won’t come cheap.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently in cap hell. Granted, not as bad as the Philadelphia Eagles find themselves in, but they are $19 million over the cap as of Feb. 24, per Over the Cap. But they have 18 players hitting unrestricted free agency, including young wide receiver JuJu Smith Schuster.

Speaking of the wideout, Smith-Schuster recently expressed his desire to “have [his] legacy in Pittsburgh.” While that is great to hear and all for Steelers fans, it won’t come at a cheap price.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport noted that Smith-Schuster could command a huge salary this offseason, with fellow wideouts Chris Godwin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kenny Golladay of the Detroit Lions expected to be franchise tagged. With Smith-Schuster slated to be the top wideout in free agency, the Steelers would have to do some cap space navigation to attempt to re-sign him.

Smith-Schuster the top wideout on the open market

Godwin and Golladay were set to become the top wide receivers in free agency and would have commanded gigantic contracts. But with both slated to return to their expected teams for at least one more season, that leaves Smith-Schuster as the best option on the open market. That makes the general manager Kevin Colbert’s job even more difficult.

The Steelers are in this cap predicament due to the contract of veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. In 2019, Roethlisberger signed a two-year, $68 million contract extension with the team. 2021 is set to be his final year with the team, and he will count for a grand total of $41.25 against the cap. While Roethlisberger’s agent did confirm that the quarterback will return to the Steelers, they still have to rework his contract with the purpose of freeing up cap space.

This past season, Smith-Schuster caught 97 passes for 831 yards and nine touchdowns through 16 games. In his four years with the Steelers, the wideout tallied 308 receptions for 3,726 yards and 26 touchdowns.

As for the type of contract Smith-Schuster could command, Spotrac set his market value at $16.1 million annually. That number always has the potential to grow, especially when there are going to be teams in desperate need for a wide receiver.

This latest update will leave Steelers fans who want Smith-Schuster to return sick to their stomachs. But as Rapoport said, it can be done, but it won’t come easy.