NFL insider predicts JuJu Smith-Schuster trade because his 'knee could explode at any point'
JuJu Smith-Schuster enters the 2023 season atop the depth chart at receiver for the New England Patriots after coming over in the offseason.
Smith-Schuster signed a three-year, $33 million deal after spending one season with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The 26-year-old wideout regained his form in his lone season in Kansas City, hauling in 78 receptions for 933 yards and three touchdowns.
Smith-Schuster, however, injured his knee in the AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals, exiting in the third quarter. He was healthy enough to play in the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles, recording seven receptions for 53 yards. His knee issues persisted after the Super Bowl win, leaving him unable to participate in OTAs for New England. He was deemed healthy enough to take part in training camp and didn’t miss any practices.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated still believes the knee is an issue for Smith-Schuster, calling it a “mess.”
“The underrated story here: JuJu Smith-Schuster’s knee is a mess, and that thing could explode at any point,” Breer recently said. “So, you almost have to keep an extra receiver because of that.”
Smith-Schuster refuted Breer’s claim, saying his knee is getting stronger by the day.
“I don’t think my knee is a ticking time bomb,” Smith-Schuster said. “If anything, it’s something that’s getting stronger every day.”
Can Bill O’Brien unlock JuJu Smith-Schuster?
While injuries have robbed him of building off his breakout 2018 season, in which he amassed 1,426 yards with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he believes the Patriots have everything in place for him to return to his elite form.
The key? The presence of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.
“When they got Bill O’Brien, it was kind of like a no-brainer,” Smith-Schuster said last month. “Just because I know how this system is and how it works and how he works the offense. Belichick is as he is as a head coach and to bring OB in and to bring Mike [Gesicki] and those other guys and all these key pieces, it was kind of like wow, this is a great fit for me.”