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Whether it’s depth or insurance, fans love JuJu Smith-Schuster’s return to Chiefs

pete grathoff
·4 min read

The Chiefs will need to get their roster down to 53 players this week, and they prepped for that by ... adding a wide receiver.

That may sound odd, but receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has returned to the Chiefs.

Spotrac said the Chiefs would be on the hook for just $1.2 million of salary because Smith-Schuster was released by the Patriots. He had signed with New England after helping the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII.

Smith-Schuster, 27, caught 78 passes for 933 receiving yards and three touchdowns while with the Chiefs in the 2022 season. He had 10 receptions for 89 yards in the Chiefs’ three playoff games.

With New England, Smith-Schuster appeared in 11 games in the 2023 season, catching 29 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots released Smith-Schuster earlier this month.

The Chiefs’ wide receiver room will look much different from the 2023 season.

They signed wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown as a free agent during the offseason and picked Xavier Worthy in the first round of the NFL Draft. And the Chiefs have second-year receiver Rashee Rice, who was a solid contributor during the playoffs en route to the Super Bowl LVIII championship.

Some fans, however, believe the Chiefs will be without Rice and that’s why they are signing Smith-Schuster.

Rice was involved in a six-car freeway crash in March and is facing eight charges in the case. The NFL hasn’t announced disciplinary action for Rice, but some see Smith-Schuster as insurance should the league hand down a suspension.

Other Chiefs fans were just thrilled to have Smith-Schuster back in the fold. Here is what people in Chiefs Kingdom were saying Monday.