The Patriots have started to revamp their wide receiver room. A day after losing Jakobi Meyers to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Patriots are signing wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
The 26-year-old confirmed the news on Twitter, writing, “Excited for my next chapter in New England! I will give this organization everything I have, thank you for believing in me!”
According to ESPN, the Patriots signed Smith-Schuster to a three-year, $33 million contract. That includes $22.5 million guaranteed over the first two years. That’s very similar to the deal Meyers signed with the Raiders, which was a three-year, $33 million contract with $22 million guaranteed.
When Meyers saw the deal reported, he tweeted, “Cold world.”
Smith-Schuster represents one of the best available options on the open market. He’s coming off a productive season, which saw him catch 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns. That marked his first year with the Chiefs and it was capped off with a Super Bowl championship.
Smith-Schuster could very well replace Meyers in the slot next season. Last year, Meyers lined up in the slot 414 times and out wide for 264 snaps. Smith-Schuster lined up in the slot 342 times compared to 513 times out wide. In Pittsburgh, he played inside even more.
A second-round pick, Smith-Schuster played his first five seasons in Pittsburgh. He was a Pro Bowl receiver in 2018 when he finished with a career-high 111 receptions, 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. Smith-Schuster dealt with injuries over the next three seasons in Pittsburgh. He played in 12 games in 219, catching 42 passes for 552 yards. In 2020, he finished with 97 receptions, 831 yards and nine touchdowns.
In 2021, the receiver missed most of the season due to a shoulder injury. He played in five games, catching 15 passes for 129 yards. That led him to signing a one-year deal with the Chiefs last offseason.
On paper, Smith-Schuster could be the Patriots new No. 1 receiver. He’ll replace Meyers, who led the team in receiving over the past three years. Smith-Schuster joins a depth chart that include DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, Lynn Bowden and Tre Nixon.
CAJUSTE SIGNS: The Patriots have tendered restricted free agent offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste, according to a source.
Cajuste should return on a 1-year, $2.73 million deal, which is non-guaranteed, indicating he will have to fight for a roster spot this summer. Opposing teams can still approach Cajuste with an offer sheet, and if he signs, the Pats can either match or receive a third-round pick as compensation.
Cajuste has made five starts in 17 games appearances the past two seasons, but lost his top reserve role to Conor McDermott late last year. After McDermott earned his first start on Dec. 1, Cajuste saw just six offensive snaps the rest of the season. He rejoins McDermott, Trent Brown, 2022 seventh-round pick Andrew Stueber and newly-signed veterans Riley Reiff and Calvin Anderson on the team’s depth chart.
The Patriots drafted Cajuste in the third round of the 2019 draft out of West Virginia. He missed his first two seasons due to injury, then made the team as a backup in 2021. Cajuste is a restricted free agent because his contract expired before he could accrue four years of league service.
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