Chiefs Rumors: JuJu Smith-Schuster Expected to Get New Contract in Free Agency

Veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was set to hit free agency this offseason, but it appears he will be staying put.

According to NFL Network's James Palmer, the Kansas City Chiefs plan to re-sign Smith-Schuster in hopes of keeping some continuity in their passing attack:

Smith-Schuster signed a one-year deal with Kansas City prior to the 2022 season after spending the first five years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 26-year-old ranked second on the team with 78 catches and 933 receiving yards during the regular season, though he reached the end zone just three times. He had 10 catches for 89 yards in the postseason as the Chiefs went on to win Super Bowl LVII. He drew a key holding penalty on Philadelphia Eagles cornerback James Bradberry late in the fourth quarter, which helped set up Kansas City's game-winning field goal.

A second-round pick in the 2017 draft, Smith-Schuster has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards just once, during his breakout 2018 campaign in which he registered 111 receptions for 1,426 yards. Having another year to develop familiarity with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes could help him get back to that level of production.

Palmer noted that free-agent receiver Mecole Hardman is likely to command a market "too strong" for the Chiefs to be able to bring him back. The 2019 second-round pick caught 16 touchdowns in his four seasons in Kansas City. Retaining Smith-Schuster could be a key move if the franchise hopes to make another run at a Super Bowl title next season.