New England Patriots Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster: Cut or Keep?

Are the New England Patriots better served by cutting ties with JuJu Smith-Schuster or providing him the chance to assimilate into Alex Van Pelt’s offense?

As the New England Patriots march closer to the start of the NFL season, fans and media alike continue to hypothesize on the future of a franchise about to begin a “new era.” 

Though much attention is being placed on new head coach Jerod Mayo, director of scouting Eliot Wolf and the No. 3 overall pick in April's Draft, one name hardly mentioned is that of receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. 

With former quarterback Mac Jones now pursuing happiness and musical freedom with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and ex-receiver DeVante Parker making his new home in the City of Brotherly Love, Smith-Schuster may be the most polarizing figure remaining on the Pats roster. In fact, rumors have been abound that New England may be actively looking to trade the former Pro Bowler, even if it means accepting a return of proverbial pennies on the dollar. 

However, might the Pats be giving up on the talented, yet recently-underachieving receiver too quickly? 

Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster

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Smith-Schuster, who signed a three-year, $33 million deal with New England in March 2023, was expected to add a new dimension to the Pats’ offense. In addition to his enthusiastic style of play, his on-field abilities were considered to be an ideal fit within former Patriots’ offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien's system — particularly due to his ability to earn (YAC) yards after the catch. 

Unfortunately for both Smith-Schuster and the Pats, the union has yet to materialize into its expectations. The 27-year-old finished the season with 29 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown, while averaging only 3.2 yards-after-catch  in 11 games played. In addition to missing two games while in concussion protocol earlier this season, Smith-Schuster had not played since Week 14 due to a lingering ankle injury. As such, he was placed on season-ending injured reserve in late December. 

Smith-Schuster’s reputation in New England has been further compounded by the strong 2023 performance of the receiver he (for all intents and purposes) replaced, Jakobi Meyers. Despite signing a free-agent deal of similar duration and compensation with the Las Vegas Raiders in the same offseason, Meyers shined for the ‘silver and black,’ catching 70 passes for 807 yards and earning a career-high 16 touchdowns. Accordingly, the prevailing narrative throughout Patriots Nation is that the team erred in both allowing Meyers to leave, and signing Smith-Schuster as his successor. 

Still, the Long Beach, California native has quite the impressive resume beyond last season’s prosaic line item. During his five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Smith-Schuster was considered among the top slot targets in the NFL, compiling 3,855 yards on 323 catches with 26 touchdowns. After signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, he helped his new club to a Super Bowl championship by earning 141 yards above expectation last season — the fifth-highest number in the NFL. He also ranked ninth in the league with an average of 5.8 yards-after-catch per reception.

Although New England’s offense is expected to have a new look this year under coordinator Alex Van Pelt, his style is still heavily predicated on ball protection, efficient running and spreading the ball to multiple pass catchers to facilitate gaining notable yards after the catch. When healthy, Smith-Schuster is still capable of performing at a high-level in such an offense. 

Ultimately, Smith-Schuster’s fate may be determined by money. If so, it may work in his favor. He will carry a salary cap number of $10.3 million for 2024. While many within the fan base have opined for his outright release, such a scenario is a remote possibility, at best. Whether the Pats cut him before June 1 or after, they would incur significant dead money hits of $12.3 and $9.6 million respectively. 

Therefore, the most palatable scenario for parting ways with Smith-Schuster would be to facilitate a trade away from Foxboro. In this case, New England would absorb only $2.6 million in dead money while creating a cap savings of $7.65 million. Yet, the Pats would need to find a willing partner for the receiver’s services. Based on his 2023 output, they may find the task more difficult than it may seem. 

In the final analysis, the union between the Patriots and Smith-Schuster has not exactly been harmonious. The veteran receiver will need to exhibit both good health and on-field production to earn a spot on New England’s roster for 2024. However, his experience and contract situation may ultimately earn him that chance. Whether Pats fans, or members of the media, want to hear it, there is an equally-sound argument to retain Smith-Schuster this season, as opposed to cutting their losses after only one year of subpar play.