As we first mentioned ten days ago, we would not be surprised if the Kansas City Chiefs added depth at the wide receiver position. On Monday morning, they did just that, bringing back an old friend, JuJu Smith-Schuster.
With roster cuts looming on Tuesday and the Kansas City Chiefs already in a quandary regarding the wide receiver position, the team shook up the roster by adding veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster. Two weeks ago, the New England Patriots cut him because they were concerned about his knee issues and lack of productivity.
After helping the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII, he signed a three-year, $33 million contract with $16 million in guarantees. Kansas City tried to re-sign JuJu, but the Patriots came in over the top of any deal the Chiefs offered.
While not unexpected, the move does mean that General Manager Brett Veach and Head Coach Andy Reid will likely either trade or release some of the position’s overflows. Mecole Hardman, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney could change teams.
The Toney decision is evident. I’m told that Hardman has experience and knows the offense, but Moore is someone the Chiefs would like to retain.
With the addition of JuJu, he’ll join Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice, and Justin Watson as the top receivers on the 2024 squad. If the Chiefs carry six receivers, Nikko Remigio and Justyn Ross are in a dogfight for the last spot.
If they go with seven wide receivers, then Moore, Remigio, and Ross could compete for the final spots, assuming they trade or cut Toney.
A year ago, the Chiefs’ offense was a mess, and that was in large part because JuJu signed with the Patriots. However, the team ended up winning the Super Bowl again, but it wasn’t easy.
Whatever happens next, I’m sure Patrick Mahomes is very excited to bring JuJu back to the roster. If his knee is healthy enough to endure one more NFL season, his addition means several things. One, they can bring Worthy on slowly. Second, they can absorb any potential suspension of Rashee Rice. Third, if Hollywood Brown has any setbacks regarding his return, JuJu already provides a solid veteran presence.
