JuJu Smith-Schuster reportedly dropped many ‘easy’ passes which eventually led to Patriots releasing him

Dropping easy passes apparently led New England Patriots to release Super Bowl winning wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster.

JuJu Smith-Schuster reportedly dropped many ‘easy’ passes which eventually led to Patriots releasing him

JuJu Smith-Schuster was released by the New England Patriots (image via Open Source/X)

JuJu Smith-Schuster was supposed to be the cornerstone receiver for the New England Patriots as they head into a new era. However, earlier today, the franchise shocked the NFL world by releasing the former Super Bowl champion. Fans did not understand the move, especially with the next to nothing savings in salary cap. Therefore, it must have been something about Smith-Schuster’s performance or situation that prompted the Patriots to make this decision.

Even though confirmed reports haven’t come about, NFL insider Dov Kleiman gave an update after Smith-Schuster was released. He wrote this on his official X account:

JuJu Smith-Schuster struggled during the Patriots training camp, dropping many "easy" passes. JuJu being released is no surprise.
Dov Kleiman wrote on X

This may not be surprising at all, considering that the wideout struggled all of last season. In a season when he has played in more than half the games, Juju Smith-Schuster put up a ridiculously low 260 yards on 29 receptions.

YouTube video

That is a staggering decline from almost posting 1000 yards on his way to win his only Super Bowl the season before. But even then, for the New England Patriots to release him with minimal savings in cap space suggests they did not want him hampering the development of their young wideout core.

Dropped passes have a significantly negative impact on the confidence of rookie or young quarterbacks. Given what Kleiman reported is accurate, the Patriots have nipped it in the bud at the perfect time. Their long-term success depends on Drake Maye‘s development. But he is a veteran receiver and could demand receptions owing to his salary and status as their prime receiver.

Juju Smith-Schuster’s options in the open market

The former Pro-Bowl wideout will still receive his $7 million in guaranteed money from the Patriots. With that in the bag, he could look at places where he can win a Super Bowl. That brings a few teams onto his options list.

Super Bowl winning JuJu Smith-Schuster will have options in the open market
Super Bowl winning JuJu Smith-Schuster will have options in the open market (image via Open Source/X)

The most obvious question mark is if the Kansas City Chiefs will look to resign him. But their depth at the position suggests they do not need him. That brings the Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills into the picture. The Falcons have good starting receivers, but they lack a good slot receiver. JuJu Smith-Schuster could slide into that role easily.

As for the other teams, his good to great blocking will see some calls coming to his agent’s phone. He is no longer the Pro-Bowler he once was. Therefore, he should look at maximizing his situation as a free agent. That should get him back on track in the NFL.

In case you missed: