Report: JuJu Smith-Schuster Back With Steelers On One-Year Deal

[Steeler Nation]

This just in: JuJu Smith-Schuster is signing back with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal:

JuJu Smith-Schuster is returning to Pittsburgh on a 1 year deal, taking a massive paycut to return to his home over larger offers from divisional rivals and Super Bowl contenders to accommodate Pittsburgh’s tough cap situation. JuJu is staying home.

— Taylor Bisciotti (@TaylorBisciotti) March 19, 2021

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

According to Adam Schefter, the Baltimore Ravens made a hard push for Smith-Schuster, who subsequently signed back with Pittsburgh for significantly less:

Here’s the interesting part on Steelers’ WR JuJu Smith-Schuster’s one-year deal with Pittsburgh: the Ravens made a hard push to sign him and he wound up taking significantly less money to go back to the Steelers, per sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 19, 2021

We see you JuJu, and we appreciate you.

Steeler Nation has been divided about it, but boy am I glad to see JuJu coming back to the Steel City. We congratulate Smith-Schuster on the contract, and look forward to another year of him in the black and gold.

#SteelerNation

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[BLITZ]

Smart move for Steelers and Juju. Oh and **** the Ravens as well

 

[Ron Burgundy]

It was NOT a “massive pay cut”. That’s his agent blowing smoke. Staying here on a one year deal and being a FA next year when the cap goes up was his best move.

 

[slashsteel]

It was NOT a “massive pay cut”. That’s his agent blowing smoke. Staying here on a one year deal and being a FA next year when the cap goes up was his best move.

I dunno 4.5 mil is a nice chunk left on the table.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

I'll take this as a FA win for the Steelers

 

[steelerscotty]

"This is my home, they're gonna need a wrecking ball to take me outta here! PITTSBURGH LOVE YOU, LET'S GO!!!!!" Smith-Schuster tweeted adding the famous "Wolf of Wall Street" scene featuring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Antonio Brown attitude without the Antonio Brown talent. JuJu camp is blowing so much smoke. No one offered him when he "feels" he is worth so he comes back on a 1 year deal. New tv deal is 10billion. He is just waiting a year longer to cash in.

JuJu Smith-Schuster agrees to one-year deal to return to Pittsburgh Steelers

JuJu Smith-Schuster is returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal, NFL Network's Taylor Bisciotti reported Friday. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport adds the deal is worth $8 million.

www.nfl.com

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I dunno 4.5 mil is a nice chunk left on the table.

Radio was saying KC was offering a little over $8 mill and the Ratbirds $9 mill. Steelers are paying $8 mill.

 

[Atlsteelers]

If he wanted to be gone then he would have. With that being said hopefully he saw his value. Glad to have him back for another year. He also knows that playing with Ben will only help his value.

 

[FSF]

I dunno 4.5 mil is a nice chunk left on the table.

Playing your contract year on a 1-year deal as a WR for Ravens is a death sentence on your career

 

[slashsteel]

Playing your contract year on a 1-year deal as a WR for Ravens is a death sentence on your career

Of course as you are handicapped with a running back throwing you the ball all season.

 

[bigben]

Juju is capable of big numbers
He just needs a 20 million dollar a year reciever to take the coverage away from him.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Juju is capable of big numbers
He just needs a 20 million dollar a year reciever to take the coverage away from him.

Try $22mil and he didn't even have to play for it.

****

Salute the nation

 

[TDX27]

They had JuJu playing more of a possession type game last year and he caught nearly 100 balls with Ben throwing the ball to countless other WR's. He made the big catches for first downs and typically got the tough yards. And, he blocks and hits almost as well as Hines Ward did. What are you all bitching about? He wasn't our No. 1 or No. 2 deep option. Oh, I know. You're all bent because he uses social media like everyone else in their teens, twenties, and even thirties, and you haven't figured out how to use it to your advantage yet or don't want to.

 

[Lloyds legend]

I'm glad JuJu will be back.

It's rare but the kid actually gave us a discount.

 

[FSF]

Juju is capable of big numbers
He just needs a 20 million dollar a year reciever to take the coverage away from him.

97 receptions 831 catches and 9 TDs — it wasn’t long ago when that WAS considered “big numbers” — and even without digging into the #s, when considering that 2020 the Steelers had 3 big play WRs to spread ball around to.

Deeper into the #s - Schuster was also the go to for Ben on 3rd downs. 4 consecutive weeks his catch on a 3rd down; the Steelers scored a TD on the ensuing play.

If I data mined it the entire season the same way, his catches would reflect the most 3rd down conversions. It was also his presence that teams doubled on that led to Chase Claypool eruption of big plays around week 4.

DJ had 88 catches, 923 yards 7 TDs
Chase had 62 catches, 873 yards, 9 TDs
Combined: 247 catches, 2727 yds, 25 TDs

Schuster caught 76% when targeted
DJ - 61%
Chase - 56%

For a baseline
In 2018–when pre-injury Roethlisberger led the NFL in passing yards & became the 6th QB in history to do so:
Schuster: 111 catches, 1426 yds, 7 TDs
Brown: 104 catches, 1297 yds, 15 TDs
Combined: 215 catches, 2723 yds, 22 TDs

Basically, in Ben’s biggest statistical season—the near record breaking duo of Brown/Schuster was outperformed when Ben threw to a trio last year.

Schuster being a #2 WR is joke narrative

 

[Zack_of_Steel]

They had JuJu playing more of a possession type game last year and he caught nearly 100 balls with Ben throwing the ball to countless other WR's. He made the big catches for first downs and typically got the tough yards. And, he blocks and hits almost as well as Hines Ward did. What are you all bitching about? He wasn't our No. 1 or No. 2 deep option. Oh, I know. You're all bent because he uses social media like everyone else in their teens, twenties, and even thirties, and you haven't figured out how to use it to your advantage yet or don't want to.

This is so on-the-money it's ridiculous.

And I say that as a 29-year-old millennial that loathes social media and was immersed in its birth. JuJu is a kid, but he's smart enough to monetize himself outside of football and has been doing so since he entered the league. Even as a rookie he established his own channel and had a camera crew following him while he did normal **** like playing video games. The NFL is the most fickle of all major sports leagues and he would be absolutely stupid not to embrace the times at his age and have other avenues to revenue.

 

[steelreeling]

i'm like ANTI-JuJu. I've watched WAY TOO many games where JuJu ****** up and LOST the whole damn game for the team.

I wonder how many games he'll fumble away this season? His departure could have been worth 2 extra wins this season... but NO, Ben wants "big" targets.

Here's to hoping that JuJu can just be an average cornerback in those crucial situations and bat the ball down.

 

[slashsteel]

i'm like ANTI-JuJu. I've watched WAY TOO many games where JuJu ****** up and LOST the whole damn game for the team.

I wonder how many games he'll fumble away this season? His departure could have been worth 2 extra wins this season... but NO, Ben wants "big" targets.

Here's to hoping that JuJu can just be an average cornerback in those crucial situations and bat the ball down.

Yeah that whole fumble issue has been addressed on this board before where it showed in comparison it wasn't as bad as some perceived. He had a few in his career in critical moments sure. Just think about how many dropped footballs were at critical moments recently by other players. That in itself is easily a greater issue.

 

[TDX27]

This is so on-the-money it's ridiculous.

And I say that as a 29-year-old millennial that loathes social media and was immersed in its birth. JuJu is a kid, but he's smart enough to monetize himself outside of football and has been doing so since he entered the league. Even as a rookie he established his own channel and had a camera crew following him while he did normal **** like playing video games. The NFL is the most fickle of all major sports leagues and he would be absolutely stupid not to embrace the times at his age and have other avenues to revenue.

Multiple streams of income - always. Football is a short career.

 

[Ike Kelly]

i'm like ANTI-JuJu. I've watched WAY TOO many games where JuJu ****** up and LOST the whole damn game for the team.

I wonder how many games he'll fumble away this season? His departure could have been worth 2 extra wins this season... but NO, Ben wants "big" targets.

Here's to hoping that JuJu can just be an average cornerback in those crucial situations and bat the ball down.

C’mon, be realistic. JuJu has had 3...THREE...fumble losses his entire career. 2 were last possession turnovers (Saints 2018, BAL 2019). His third (Vonn Bell hit 2020) was in the 1st Qtr. If you are Anti-JuJu, thats fine. It’s your right for whatever reason, but two fumbles loss equates as “WAY TOO many games..”? That is somewhat a false narrative. Are you Anti-Ben as well? He’s only loss what, maybe 10 times more games with his turnovers during his career.