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Reports: JuJu Smith-Schuster turns down better offers from Chiefs, Ravens to return to Steelers

Jason Owens
·Staff writer
·1-min read

JuJu Smith-Schuster has agreed to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal, NFL Network's Taylor Bisciotti reports.

According to the report, the wide receiver turned down better offers from the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens to take a salary cap-friendly $8 million offer from the Steelers. The Chiefs offered $8 million with $3 million in incentives and the rival Ravens offered $9 million with $4 million in incentives, per the report.

No long-term deal yet for Smith-Schuster

Smith-Schuster reached the end of his rookie contract that paid him $4.1 million over four seasons. It appears that he's taking a short-term deal this season amid a league-wide salary cap crunch attributed to COVID-19.

FILE - In this Nov. 16, 2017, file photo, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (19) smiles on he sideline during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and Cincinnati Bengals cornerback George Iloka have been suspended one game each by the NFL for violating league safety rules. Smith-Schuster was flagged for unnecessary roughness and taunting after a blindside hit on Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict in the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh's 23-20 victory Monday night, Dec. 5. Iloka was penalized for unnecessary roughness for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
JuJu Smith-Schuster agreed to a one-year deal to return to Pittsburgh.(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Smith-Schuster made the Pro Bowl in his second season, tallying 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. His production dropped the past two seasons with a 552-yard, three-touchdown effort in 2019 and an 831-yard, nine-touchdown effort last season.

Smith-Schuster returns to an offense that will again be helmed by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who agreed to take a pay cut to play his 18th season in Pittsburgh. The Steelers' offense struggled down the stretch after going 11-1 last season. Pittsburgh finished 12-4 and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Cleveland Browns.

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