With the Steelers receiver set to test free agency, these five teams seem like the best fit for Smith-Schuster in 2022.
JuJu Smith-Schuster has had one of the more interesting career arcs. He started off as one of the hottest rookie receivers in the league and followed that up with a dominant second season.
A focus on short passes and a move to the slot has slowed down his career pace, and now he will likely be looking for a new home to rekindle the spark he had early in his career. Set to enter free agency again this offseason, here are the five teams that make the most sense for Smith-Schuster.
A Lions free agency target
The Lions are one of the more exciting bad teams in the NFL. While 2021 was abysmal in terms of their record, the team and the city seem to have a lot of faith in Matt Campbell and the future. While things won’t clear up right away, there is a chance that Detroit takes some steps forward this offseason. One such move that could help them achieve that is signing Smith-Schuster in free agency.
While Amon-Ra St. Brown already occupies the slot receiver role, Smith-Schuster could fill in at the Z position as he did during his first two seasons with the Steelers. That would give the Lions two capable and sure-handed receivers for whoever is throwing passes there next season. Adding Smith-Schuster doesn’t fix the offensive problems this team has, but it sets them up to have a more stable receiving core in 2022 and beyond.