Despite an up and down season, JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t ready to leave Pittsburgh
The Cleveland Browns must have pinned JuJu Smith-Schuster’s comments on their wall all week. By Sunday’s end, those “same old Browns” forced the Pittsburgh Steelers to exit the postseason early.
Smith-Schuster’s season will come with mixed results. Expected to become the No. 1 target for the Steelers, the fourth-year product has remained the team’s No. 2 with the emergence of second-year wideout Diontae Johnson.
Entering a contract year, he’ll want to cash in on top tier money. However, when asked if he wished to remain with the franchise that drafted him, Smith-Schuster hinted that he would enjoy another go around with the team.
The fanbase though is split on the overall decision moving into the offseason.
Smith-Schuster should return if the price is right
One thing Pittsburgh’s known for is Kevin Colbert’s ability to find mid-round receivers and transform them into gems. All four of the starting weapons for Ben Roethlisberger’s arsenal were drafted on Day 2 and have lived up to the hype.
Most recently, the Steelers took a chance of Notre Dame wideout Chase Claypool. Some scouts believed that Claypool would be better suited as a flex tight end. Instead, the Steelers just made him one of the more dangerous rookie pass-catchers in league history.
The former Irishman finished the year with 62 catches for 873 yards and 11 total touchdowns. He also tied an NFL record for the most touchdowns by a rookie in five games.
When adding Smith-Schuster, one also adds the antics. This season, he became a viral icon on TikTok thanks to his dancing and social media presence. Videos came piling in on him dancing on opponents’ logos and at times, it seemed he was more interested in building his brand rather than his production.
James Washington will remain under contract through 2021. Johnson and Claypool will remain in Pittsburgh until at least 2022. With the team have some difficult decisions to make this offseason, Smith-Schuster would be a great addition to the receiving corps, but he’s not a top priority.
For the right price, expect Smith-Schuster to be dancing all over Heinz Field. If not, best of luck with another team’s locker room.