How Juju Smith Schuster Contract Impacts Steelers' Salary Cap, Depth Chart

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal Friday, according to Taylor Bisciotti of NFL Network. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport added that the contract is worth $8 million. 

The USC product had "better offers" from the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, but called Pittsburgh his "home" in a tweet celebrating his new deal.

Here's a look at the Steelers' offensive depth chart now that Smith-Schuster is staying put: 

QB - Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins

RB - Benny Snell, Jaylen Samuels, Anthony McFarland Jr.

FB - Derek Watt

WR 1 - JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ray-Ray McCloud, Cody White

WR 2 - Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, Anthony Johnson

WR 3 - James Washington 

TE - Eric Ebron, Zach Gentry, Charles Jones, Kevin Rader, Dax Raymond

LT - Jarron Jones

LG - Kevin Dotson, Brandon Walton

C - J.C. Hassenauer, B.J. Finney

RG - David DeCastro, Aviante Collins

RT - Chukwuma Okorafor, Zach Banner, Anthony Coyle, John Leglue

Depth chart info provided by Ourlads and Over the Cap.

The Steelers had $4 million in cap space prior to signing Smith-Schuster, via Over the Cap. But with their star wideout on the books for double that heading into 2021, the team will have to do some more restructuring ahead of the NFL draft, or even sooner if they're hoping to make any more moves in free agency. 

Smith-Schuster's return is a major get for Pittsburgh, especially after he told his teammates that he didn't expect to be back with the Steelers for his fifth year in the league (h/t Mark Kaboly of The Athletic). 

The 2018 Pro Bowler has been the team's top receiver for the past two years, and he appeared in all 16 games for the first time this past season, with 831 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns a year after missing four games with a concussion and knee injury. 

In 2020, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger chose to rely more on Johnson and Claypool, so it remains to be seen what sort of role new offensive coordinator Matt Canada envisions for Smith-Schuster. 

Through four years, the USC product has accounted for 3,726 yards and 26 touchdowns, and he's set to add that total with the team that drafted him in the second round in 2017 on his new deal.