Chiefs shore up WR depth chart, bring back Super Bowl-winning WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
After spending the 2023-2024 season with the New England Patriots, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is back with the Kansas City Chiefs. NFL reporter Jordan Shultz wrote about the development Monday morning in a post on X.
"BREAKING: The #Chiefs are expected to sign former Pro Bowl WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, per multiple sources. JuJu reunites with Kansas City, who looks to add another weapon for Patrick Mahomes," Schultz reported.
Smith-Schuster signed with the Super Bowl-contending Chiefs on March 20, 2022. He agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $10.75 million, leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers after five seasons. Smith-Schuster scored his first touchdown as a member of the Chiefs on Oct. 16, 2022, against the Buffalo Bills.
Smith-Schuster finished the 2022 season with the Chiefs with 78 catches, 933 yards and three touchdowns, becoming their leading wide receiver in yards. In the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles, Smith-Schuster had seven receptions for 53 yards and forced a key pass interference call late in the game that kept Kansas City alive.
After spending just one season as a member of the Chiefs, Smith-Schuster signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a three-year deal worth up to $33 million. He finished the 2023-2024 season with just 29 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown. As a result, the Patriots released him after just one season this offseason.
JuJu Smith-Schuster looks to add depth to the Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiving corps
The Kansas City Chiefs had added multiple receivers this offseason to help boost their wide receiver group for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The team signed free agent deep-threat wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown this offseason in free agency. The Chiefs then traded up in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft with the Buffalo Bills to select speedster Xavier Worthy, who broke the 40-yard dash combine time.
Smith-Schuster became the newest addition to the Chiefs' core, providing more depth as second-year standout Rashee Rice could miss some time with the NFL investigating his hit-and-run incident from earlier this year.
If Smith-Schuster can replicate a season as he had in 2022 with the Chiefs this year, it would be a big help to Mahomes and their receiving group.