Almost instantly upon getting released by the New England Patriots last week, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster drew connections to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Smith-Schuster spent 2022 with the Chiefs, posting his best single-season results since his breakout 2018 campaign and contributing to a Super Bowl. Marquise "Hollywood" Brown's injury scare in his preseason debut was a reminder Kansas City's receiver room lacks depth. So, many view a reunion with the former as a natural solution to the problem.
However, his stint with the Patriots was nightmarish, highlighted by New England cutting him one season after signing him to a three-year, $25 million contract. Do the Chiefs want to bet on the veteran wideout rebounding and reviving his career as they try to pull off the first-ever NFL three-peat?
Chiefs lead executive Brett Veach may want to listen to recent comments from Pats head coach Jerod Mayo before exploring the possibility of adding Smith-Schuster.
Mayo spoke with reporters on Sunday, outlining a more-than-reasonable explanation regarding why New England chose to part ways with Smith-Schuster.
Jerod Mayo: The decision to release JuJu Smith-Schuster was due to his health and the Patriots wanting to giving younger WRs more opportunities pic.twitter.com/IZv0uHSTY7
— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) August 11, 2024
Patriots gave Chiefs some really good reasons not to sign JuJu Smith-Schuster
Per Mayo via Mark Daniels of MassLive.com, Smith-Schuster's departure is to allow the "younger guys to get more reps and show what they can do."
As a follow-up question, someone asked Mayo if Smith-Schuster's availability (or lack thereof) factored into the decision. In response, the New England sideline general acknowledged that was "part of it."
A concussion and Grade 2 ankle sprain limited Smith-Schuster to 11 ineffective games with the Patriots this past year. He caught 29 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown, averaging an underwhelming nine yards per reception.
Like New England, Kansas City has a youthful pass-catching corps. They have first-round rookie Xavier Worthy, second-year standout Rashee Rice, 23-year-old Skyy Moore and former Clemson star Justyn Ross lurking in the shadows. Adding Smith-Schuster would hamper their development, something the Patriots elected to avoid. The Chiefs would be wise to take note of that.
While Smith-Schuster sounds like a logical addition, Mayo perfectly summarized why the Chiefs should avoid signing him.