Will the Chiefs Re-Sign JuJu Smith-Schuster? Fantasy Football Outlook

Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster had the second-highest yardage output of his six-year NFL career in the 2022 NFL season, his first in Kansas City.

Smith-Schuster was second in receiving yards on the team behind superstar Travis Kelce and emerged as a dependable blanket option for Patrick Mahomes. He only grabbed three touchdowns on the season and held more of a chunk yardage role in the offense.

Following a five-year stint in Pittsburgh, Smith-Schuster was on a one-year deal in Kansas City and now returns to free agency for a second straight year. Will the Chiefs pick him back up, or will he find a new home in 2023?

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Is JuJu Smith-Schuster A Free Agent in 2023?

Smith-Schuster signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs in 2022 free agency with hopes of filling in for departed receiver Tyreek Hill.

He did not quite have the output that Hill had for the team but ended the season with his first-ever Super Bowl ring after leading the Chiefs in receptions in the big game. 

Smith-Schuster was quick to hop on social media and gloat about the somewhat controversial call against James Bradberry that gave Kansas City the title, which stirred up an issue across the league.

He may not have had the most consistent year statistically but he was a top option in the passing game for a Super Bowl champion team, which will surely garner attention in the 2023 free agency market. Another one-year deal seems unlikely for Smith-Schuster.

Which Team Will Sign JuJu Smith-Schuster?

A reunion with the Chiefs is a possibility, although Kansas City could easily opt to hand youngsters Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore in bigger roles in 2023 and part with the veteran receiver.

According to Eagles WR A.J. Brown, Mahomes “resurrected” Smith-Schuster’s career. His take may not have been far from the truth, as JuJu had been struggling over the latter part of his career in Pittsburgh.

Regardless, Smith-Schuster will likely land on a team in need of some veteran hands out of the slot in 2023. That could be a reunion with Kansas City, but don’t count out other teams such as Buffalo, Chicago, New England, or Dallas. 

Smith-Schuster would hold a similar role in Buffalo or Dallas as the one he had in Kansas City, but he would be the top option in the receiving game on a team like Chicago or New England. 

He proved in Pittsburgh that he is best in a second or third-option role similar to what he did this year for Kansas City, but with the way the market looks this year it seems unlikely that he will land somewhere as a luxury addition like he did this season.

Smith-Schuster is lined up for a payday in what is a very weak free agent class headlined by himself, Packers WR Allen Lazard, Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers, and Lions WR D.J. Chark. It would be shocking if he didn’t sign a long-term deal with a needy team overpaying for his services.

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