The Kansas City Chiefs like to do this thing — especially, it feels like, at wide receiver — where they just bring guys back in rather than searching for new players. Take wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as an example. He played for the Chiefs in 2022, then left in free agency for the Patriots. When the Patriots released him in 2024, he found his way back on to the Chiefs roster, where he spent the past two seasons.
This offseason, he signed with the New York Giants, but the team has released him. Does that mean he's about to make a third trip to Kansas City? Chiefs fans should hope that's not the solution to their wide receiver woes.
JuJu Smith-Schuster isn't the answer in Kansas City
I would put the chances of Smith-Schuster ending up with the Chiefs again fairly high. Not, like, a 100 percent chance, but...a 60 percent chance? Head coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach seem to like the guy, and he's spent plenty of time over the years playing with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The team needs help at wide receiver, so why not just kick the tires on Smith-Schuster at this point?
Well, first is that he wasn't particularly good in 2025:
Receptions | Receiving Yards | Receiving Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|
33 | 345 | 1 |
He was fifth on the Chiefs roster in receptions and sixth in receiving yards. Only one of the players with more yards than him, Hollywood Brown, departed the team this offseason, so Smith-Schuster would already be at a disadvantage, as we know that the three assumed starting receivers on this roster — Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton — are ahead of Smith-Schuster.
Then comes the question of whether or not he can provide something as a depth piece. The fourth receiver role is wide open, so why not just slide Smith-Schuster in there?
Because you're just exacerbating the issue that's plagued this team for a while at this point: Kansas City has struggled to develop receivers.
Chiefs are better off betting on younger WR options
The team took Jalen Royals in the fourth round last year and Cyrus Allen in the fifth round this season. Both guys have upside, though late-round picks don't always tend to hit that upside. Right now, though, bringing in Smith-Schuster as your fourth receiver almost forces you to pick between those two guys, because you also have Nikko Remigio set to return kicks, and you really shouldn't be carrying seven wide receivers.
If you were adding a talent who could immediately come in and act as a No. 2 wideout, then you can push these concerns aside. Cut Remigio and let Allen take his place as a return man? Move on from Royals and admit it wasn't working out? Sure, if doing so puts you closer to a Super Bowl title.
But Smith-Schuster isn't putting you closer to that. Signing him just means giving up on a piece with more long-term upside, with the trade-off being...maybe having slightly more production from your No. 4 receiver?
If a receiver on this roster lands on the IR, then sure, sign Smith-Schuster as a replacement. But as the roster currently stands, the only reason to go after him is familiarity, and that ain't enough.
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