3 former Steelers who could return to Pittsburgh this offseason

Steelers rumors: Does JuJu Smith-Schuster make sense?

JuJu Smith-Schuster bet on himself prior to this season, and it worked. Smith-Schuster’s market value, per Spotrac, is somewhere around $14.6 million per season. His age plays a large role in that, as many forget he’s only been in the league for six years.

Smith-Schuster has been through some drama in Pittsburgh, that much is for sure. It’s unclear if he’d want to revisit those demons, as the typical Pittsburgh sports talking heads would make his day-to-day life hell. Heck, some are still making a living off his name.

Pittsburgh Tribune columnist Mark Madden is front and center on Smith-Schuster’s list of haters. He wrote a column about JuJu’s Valentine’s Day card to James Bradberry, which was met with hostility by some Eagles players after Bradberry lost with class, and admitted to his wrongdoing (a holding penalty).

"“You want to fete Smith-Schuster, go ahead. But he helped Kansas City win a Super Bowl, not Pittsburgh. With the Steelers, Smith-Schuster fumbled away playoff berths in 2018 and 2019. His butterfingers directly lost games vs. New Orleans the former year and against Baltimore the latter. The Steelers missed the postseason by one game each season. Do the math,” Madden wrote."

This is much of what Smith-Schuster would have to deal with in Pittsburgh, and it’s also why a reunion is unlikely. But let’s take a look at the other side of the coin.

JuJu finished last season with near 1,000 yards receiving, granted with Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback. But he’s the exact sort of outlet that a quarterback like Kenny Pickett needs.

Pickett thrives on the short passing game, and a reliable target like Smith-Schuster — who rarely drops passes in critical moments, despite what Madden suggests — would help in Canada’s offense.

Diontae Johnson is reliable, but falls short in the red zone. George Pickens should eventually develop into the deep threat the Steelers need, but he’s not there yet and won’t receive consistent opportunities in Canada’s scheme. Smith-Schuster is a reliable third-down target and someone Pittsburgh is familiar with.

Now, that $14 million price tag is too much for a wideout. Should it come down, the Steelers make a lot of sense, especially on a shorter-term deal.