The Patriots have called it quits on the JuJu era.
New England is releasing wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after one year and Thursday's preseason game with the team, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, per a source. The team has since announced the news.
The Patriots have since announced the news.
Smith-Schuster, 27, signed with the club on a three-year, $33 million contract in March 2023, but never found his footing or helped boost New England's offense, which finished last season ranked 31st in scoring and 30th in yards.
He played in 11 games as a Patriot, starting seven, with 29 catches for 260 yards and a touchdown.
His greatest individual successes came during his time with the Steelers, the team he spent his first five seasons with from 2017-2021. He burst onto the scene his rookie year with 917 yards and seven TDs, then matched his scoring effort the following campaign while topping his yardage with a career-high 1,426 to make his lone Pro Bowl.
His greatest triumph on a team came during the 2022 season, when he signed on with Kansas City and played a pivotal role in helping replace Tyreek Hill, tallying 78 receptions, 933 yards and three touchdowns on the way to capturing Super Bowl LVII.
Smith-Schuster hasn't been able to unlock similar success, either individually or otherwise, during his Patriots tenure. He played 11 snaps in Thursday's 17-3 preseason win over the Panthers and logged no stats.
Due to the timing of his release, Smith-Schuster has some time before the regular season to catch on with another team.
As for New England, it will take on $9.6 million in dead money this year, which includes eating the wideout's $7 million guaranteed salary.
The Pats will move on sans Smith-Schuster with young talent like Demario Douglas and rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, plus other veterans such as Kendrick Bourne, Jalen Reagor, and K.J. Osborn.
