For the third consecutive year, JuJu Smith-Schuster is going to be hitting the free-agent market. The first two tries didn’t go as well as he had hoped they would as the market was saturated with players at the wide receiver position. That, coupled with some underwhelming performances in injury-riddled seasons, led to him taking one-year deals.
JuJu Smith-Schuster signed a one-year deal to stay with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021 before signing a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. Hopefully, the third time’s the charm for the USC product, as he put together a fantastic season in hopes of landing a multi-year pact.
In 16 games, JuJu Smith-Schuster caught 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns. It was the most productive season overall for him since his second year in the NFL when he burst onto the scene as the No. 2 receiver behind Antonio Brown.
With his value rehabbed and the wide receiver market nowhere near as deep as it was in recent seasons, JuJu Smith-Schuster has a great chance of cashing in this offseason. Plenty of teams will be on the lookout for wide receiver help and he should have his pick of franchises to join.
One team that could be looking for an upgrade this offseason at wide receiver is the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo has a star atop their depth chart in Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis has come along nicely as a deep threat, but beyond those two, things get shaky.
Adding another big possession receiver such as JuJu Smith-Schuster would bring another element to the explosive Bills offense that they are currently missing. They have tried Jamison Crowder, Isaiah McKenzie and rookie Khalil Shakir at the slot this season with okay success.
Inserting the former Pro Bowler into that slot would give Josh Allen another reliable weapon in the passing game and take some pressure off of Diggs. But, signing JuJu Smith-Schuster will have its difficulties.
Buffalo is already over the salary cap and nearly half of its 53-man roster will be a free agent in 2023, including key starters on both sides of the ball. Signing JuJu Smith-Schuster may not be a luxury that the Bills can afford this offseason, but if the possibility arises, you can be sure Brandon Beane will look into making it happen.
