A day after shedding their greatest receiver, the Patriots are a brand new No. 1 goal.
According to a supply, free-agent wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster is drawing severe curiosity from the receiver-needy Patriots.
Smith-Schuster, 26, is coming off a rebound season in Kansas City, the place he caught 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns final yr. His addition would assist offset the lack of Jakobi Meyers, who left to signal a 3-year cope with the Raiders on Tuesday. Smith-Schuster would leap to the highest of the Pats’ receiver depth chart, becoming a member of DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and Tyquan Thornton.
Smith-Schuster beforehand spent 5 seasons in Pittsburgh. The Steelers chosen him within the second spherical of the 2017 draft, and he made the Pro Bowl in 2018 after setting a profession excessive with 1,426 yards. Since then, he’s topped 800 yards simply twice, although he scored 9 touchdowns on 97 catches in 2020 and was restricted to 5 video games because of harm the next yr.
His ultimate season in Pittsburgh prompted a 1-year, prove-it cope with the Chiefs, which carried a base worth of $3.76 million and most worth of greater than $11 million. Smith-Schuster completed second in receiving for Kansas City and averaged 9.2 yards per goal, most amongst their high targets. He additionally completed with a team-high seven catches for 53 yards in Super Bowl LVII.
Smith-Schuster final confronted the Patriots within the group’s 2019 season opener, which Pittsburgh misplaced 33-3. He completed with six catches for a team-best 78 yards. Before the sport, Pats coach Bill Belichick mentioned of Smith-Schuster: “He’s a good player. He’s instinctive, catches the ball well. He’s got good size, smart.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com