Report: Patriots Release WR JuJu-Smith Schuster After One Season

The New England Patriots cut ties with a veteran receiver on Friday.

Jun 10, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (7) stretches before the start of minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots are shaking up their wide receiver room just 24 hours after their first preseason contest.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Patriots have decided to cut WR JuJu Smith-Schuster after just one season with the team. New England effectively eats $9.6 million in dead cap as a result of the release.

Smith-Schuster never quite got off on the right foot during his time in Foxboro, as he started just seven games in an injury-riddled campaign in 2023, posting a career-low 260 reception yards on 29 catches and one touchdown. During New England's first preseason game vs. the Carolina Panthers on Thursday, he did not record any stats in the process.

Despite entering this year's training camp reportedly fully healthy, the Patriots have instead cut their losses no less than two weeks back into practice, now allowing him to sign elsewhere before the season.

Source: The #Patriots are releasing WR JuJu Smith-Schuster. While a surprise, this move does give Smith-Schuster the chance to sign somewhere before the season. pic.twitter.com/r4ydvyXcYC

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2024

JuJu Smith-Schuster's release allows enhanced opportunity for young Patriots WRs

With the Patriots shedding one of their many receivers out of their roster, the door now cracks open a bit more for New England's young weapons to get more reps and opportunities to get onto the field as we move deeper into training camp, as well as the looming regular season.

Guys like rookie WRs Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, along with second-year pass catcher DeMario Douglas emerge as key candidates to share a bulk of the Patriots' offensive looks through the air this year.

Young players lower in the depth chart, like Kayshon Boutte, Tyquan Thornton, and Jalen Reagor, can also have a better shot to make an impact early this season without Smith-Schuster in the mix, further pushing the needle forward in this New England rebuild. It's also hard to forget about Kendrick Bourne, who projects to get a solid amount of the target share once he's fully healthy and back into the lineup.

At just 27 years old and with the chance for some productive years still lying ahead of him, expect Smith-Schuster to get some increased looks on the market over the coming weeks-- potentially from contenders around the league looking to add a spark to their air attack.

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