One thing that quarterback Patrick Mahomes lacked in 2021 was a viable third receiving option to throw to when Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce aren’t open to catch the football. That was a situation the Chiefs faced multiple times last season, and they didn’t have much of an answer.
General Manager Brett Manager made sure the team won’t be having the same problem again on Friday afternoon.
NFL Insider Field Yates reports former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has agreed to a one-year contract with Kansas City. The deal is reportedly worth $10.75 million.
Smith-Schuster was the first to announce his intention of signing with the Chiefs via his personnel Twitter account.
Smith-Schuster, 25, gives the Chiefs a veteran receiving threat that will take the attention away from Hill and Kelce while also being a dangerous option in his own right. The move is such a perfect fit because he won’t be required to be the top receiver on the Chiefs’ depth chart like he was in Pittsburgh.
The 2021 campaign was a short one for the former USC Trojan due to a shoulder injury that kept him sidelined for most of the regular season. Before getting hurt, Smith-Schuster started the first five games, recording 15 catches for 129 yards.
Now with a team and a new quarterback, Smith-Schuster looks to get back on track and fulfill his aspirations of winning the Super Bowl.
Smith-Schuster began his NFL career in 2017 as a second-round draft pick and was played an immediate impact role on Pittsburgh’s offense as the team’s second receiver behind starter Antonio Brown. One Brown and the Steelers parted ways in 2019, JuJu was given the staring role but never eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark nor made the Pro Bowl. He did both in 2018, the last time he was a number two receiver.
After four seasons in Pittsburgh, Smith-Schuster has made 323 receptions for 3,855 yards and caught 26 touchdown passes.
The Chiefs needed a receiver that would take the defense’s attention away from Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, and now, they’ve finally got one.
