JuJu Smith-Schuster has returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He will sign a one-year deal to return to the team that drafted him. The news comes from Taylor Bisciotti on Twitter.
Juju Smith-Schuster signs a 1-year $8 million deal, a small deal compared to other offers he received. He reportedly received a larger offer from the divisional rival, Baltimore Ravens, and turned it down.
After voting on Instagram last week that he will not be returning to Pittsburgh, the deal comes as a surprise to most. Juju’s signing solidifies a talented receiving corps with Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. Ben Roethlisberger hopes to bounce back after a middling 2020 campaign in which he threw for 3,803-yards (16th most among quarterbacks).
Smith-Schuster has been one of the most polarizing receivers since coming into the league. Sharing the field with Antonio Brown, the young Steeler dominated in his second season, accumulating 1,426 yards on 111 receptions. Once Antonio Brown left, people were excited to see what Smith-Schuster could do being the alpha receiver on an offense.
He disappointed with 552 yards on 42 catches in an injury-riddled season without Ben Roethlisberger. Then this past season, Smith-Schuster was part of a trio of receivers where none stood above the rest in Pittsburgh and all had decent years.
Questions remain as to whether Smith-Schuster can be a true number one in an offense, but his talent is unquestioned. Smith-Schuster has been excellent out of the slot. He can read defenses well finding holes in zone coverage as well as breaking tackles and racking up yards after the catch. Above all else, Smith-Schuster is only 24 years old, so there is still plenty of room for growth.
