JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on after defeating the Los Angeles Rams at GEHA ... [+]
Juju Smith-Schuster has returned to health and is now back in the Kansas City Chiefs’ lineup. But will he be back with the team next year?
In early November the free-agent-to-be wide receiver said that he wants to continue playing for Kansas City after his current contract expires.
“I would love to stay here, to be honest,” he said. “This offense is unbelievable. Coaching staff is unbelievable. If it was up to me, of course, why not? (I) get to play with one of the best quarterbacks in the game.”
During the offseason the wide receiver bet on himself, and that likely will pay off.
Smith-Schuster signed an affordable, one-year, $3.76 million deal with the Chiefs in March. The deal has multiple incentives, including $3 million if he reaches 65 receptions and 900 yards, numbers he is on track to surpass.
Smith-Schuster, who in on pace for 76 catches and 1,009 yards, likely will receive a significant raise when that contract expires at year’s end.
Given that Smith-Schuster is on pace for the second most receiving yards of his six-year career, how much will Kansas City have to pay if it wants to retain his services?
The Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill, who Smith-Schuster has helped replace on the Chiefs, leads all NFL wide receivers with a contract that averages $30 million. The top 14 highest-paid receivers all make at least $20 million a year.
Smith-Schuster is a good receiver but not in that top tier.
But with the way wide receiver salaries are skyrocketing, including record-setting deals by Hill and Davante Adams last year, one would think that Smith-Schuster could get at least $15 million on the open market.
The Denver Broncos’ Courtland Sutton ranks 26th in AAV (average annual value) with $15.2 million, and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Allen Robinson ranks 25th in AAV with $15.5 million.
Smith-Schuster has to make more than teammate Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who is tied for 35th with a $10 million AAV after signing a three-year, $30 million deal last offseason.
Valdes-Scantling has fewer receptions, yards and touchdowns (31, 515 and one) than Smith-Schuster (49, 653 and two) this year, and new contracts typically become more lucrative each offseason.
The concern with Smith-Schuster has been his durability. He missed four games in 2019 with head and knee injuries and all but five games in 2021 with a shoulder injury.
But Smith-Schuster has played in 10 of 11 games for the Chiefs in 2022.
Following a concussion suffered against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 13, Smith-Schuster returned for Sunday’s 26-10 victory against the Los Angeles Rams and had three catches for 38 yards.
Celebrating Smith-Schuster’s return to action, the Arrowhead Stadium crowd chanted his name after his first catch occurred with 1:06 left in the first half. On that play he broke Troy Hill’s tackle and went for nine yards to convert the 3rd and 3.
“He did a good job. We didn’t get him the ball enough in the first half,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “But in the second half, he sure started off nice with some big plays for us.”
On the Chiefs’ first and third plays of the fourth quarter, he caught passes of 14 and 15 yards, respectively.
Smith-Schuster lined up on the far right side and caught his second pass with 13:52 remaining. His final reception of the day was on a perfectly placed back shoulder throw while being covered by rookie Derion Kendrick.
Smith-Schuster’s return came at an opportune time for the Chiefs who needed help filling in for injured wide receivers Mecole Hardman and Kadarius Toney.
Hardman and Justin Watson also are slated to become free agents at year’s end.
After signing the second one-year deal of his career this past offseason, Smith-Schuster is likely looking for something more long term.
He considered signing with the Chiefs during his previous free-agent tour but ended up playing one more season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who lost to the Chiefs in the playoffs as the final part of Ben Roethlisberger’s swan song.
Smith-Schuster had just 15 catches during that injury-shortened 2021 campaign. So he was understandably asked if he wished he would’ve signed with the Chiefs instead of Steelers.
“Nah, nah, I was very, very happy with my decision last year,” he said.
The question remains if the Chiefs and Smith-Schuster can afford to live happily ever after in the years ahead.
