Report: New England Patriots releasing JuJu Smith-Schuster

The JuJu Smith-Schuster era is over in New England.

The Patriots are releasing the veteran wideout, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Friday. Smith-Schuster spent just one season with the Patriots after signing a three-year, $25 million deal with the franchise last offseason.

The 27-year-old appeared in 11 games last season, hauling in just 29 receptions for 260 yards and a score. He missed a pair of games after suffering a concussion in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints and then sustained an ankle injury ahead of Week 15 which landed him on injured reserve.

Smith-Schuster was expected to compete for targets this season with Ja’Lynn Polk, DeMario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Javon Baker and K.J. Osborn among others. He suited up in New England’s 17-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Thursday’s preseason opener, failing to get on the box score.

Smith-Schuster, who is owed $7 million fully guaranteed by the Patriots in 2024, becomes a free agent and will look to join his fourth team since entering the NFL in 2017. He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who selected him in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. After a standout rookie campaign, Smith-Schuster exploded onto the scene in 2018. He hauled in a career-high 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns, earning the first and only Pro Bowl nod of his career.

JuJu Smith-Schuster looking for new opportunity after release from Patriots

Smith-Schuster never reached those highs again in Pittsburgh as the injuries began to pile up. He dealt with an ankle injury in 2019 and then a shoulder injury which caused him to miss 12 games in 2021. The Kansas City Chiefs signed him to a one-year deal ahead of the 2022 season, and he posted his best numbers since that breakout 2018 campaign playing with Patrick Mahomes and co. He tallied 933 yards on 78 catches to go along with three scores, helping lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl LVII victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Smith-Schuster said last month he still believes he can get back to the early success he had with the Steelers.

“It’s always been in me, that dawg, that competitiveness,” Smith-Schuster said. “I’ve been in a lot of tough situations, making those hard catches and being able to convert and move the sticks. Something I’m very proud of. So, for sure, got that dawg in me. For sure.”