Another free agent has opted to stay with his old team rather than join the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs and the Ravens were among the teams who had put in a contract offer to free agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster. Instead of taking a larger offer to go to Kansas City or Baltimore, Smith-Schuster opted to re-sign with the Steelers on a one-year deal worth $8 million. The Chiefs reportedly offered Smith-Schuster one-year for $8 million with $3 million in additional incentives.
It feels a tad reminiscent of what happened just days ago with Trent Williams, though Smith-Schuster didn’t use those offers for leverage on a better deal. He decided to stick with the team that drafted him and the town that he calls home.
This is my home, they’re gonna need a wrecking ball to take me outta here! PITTSBURGH I LOVE YOU, LET’S GO!!!!! 💛🖤💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/SPFvCLUmFl
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) March 19, 2021
It’s no surprise to hear that the Chiefs are players in the free agent receiver market. It has been one of the slower markets in free agency, and two of their wideouts have hit free agency: Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson. Smith-Schuster would have been a great fit replacing what the Chiefs are losing in those two players.
It’s back to the drawing board for Chiefs GM Brett Veach, and thankfully there are still a number of free agent receivers available, like Kenny Golladay, T.Y. Hilton, Josh Reynolds and Antonio Brown. It’s also possible that the team turns their attention to a different market, like cornerback, that has a ton of talent left out there.
