Patriots Release Wide Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster

The New England Patriots have released wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, NFL Network reported on Friday. Smith-Schuster, 27, was entering the second season of a three-year, $25.5 million deal with the Patriots.

The New England Patriots have released wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, NFL Network reported on Friday. Smith-Schuster, 27, was entering the second season of a three-year, $25.5 million deal with the Patriots. He didn't appear in New England's Thursday night preseason win against the Carolina Panthers.

Smith-Schuster's release comes as a bit of a surprise, as he was expected to be a key contributor to the Patriots' offense in 2023. He signed a three-year deal with the team last offseason after spending the previous five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Last season, Smith-Schuster totaled just 29 receptions for 260 yards and one touchdown. He was limited to 11 games due to head and ankle injuries, respectively.

Despite his injury-plagued season, Smith-Schuster was still considered a valuable asset to the Patriots. He is a proven playmaker with a knack for making big plays.

However, the Patriots have a number of other talented receivers on their roster, including Kendrick Bourne, K.J. Osborn, and Tyquan Thornton. The team also selected two wide receivers in the 2023 NFL Draft, Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker.

With so many other options at wide receiver, the Patriots decided to release Smith-Schuster in order to clear up some cap space and give their younger receivers a chance to shine.

Smith-Schuster is now a free agent and will likely have no shortage of suitors. He is a talented receiver with a lot of experience and could be a valuable addition to any team.

The Patriots, meanwhile, will move forward with their current group of receivers and hope to find more consistency on offense in 2023.

In other news, the Patriots were recently in the mix to acquire San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who's seeking a contract extension. However, Aiyuk reportedly expressed that he wasn't interested in signing a long-term deal with the Patriots.

The Patriots' pursuit of Aiyuk is a sign that they are still looking to upgrade their wide receiver corps. However, it appears that they will have to look elsewhere to find a replacement for Smith-Schuster.