Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers bring various strengths in 2022
By KC Proctor
What does JuJu Smith-Schuster bring to the table?
JuJu Smith-Schuster to the Chiefs felt like a long time coming.
Rumors of his departure from Pittsburgh began to swirl in the 2021 offseason, and Kansas City was at the top of his list of desired landing spots. Following the 2020 season, Smith-Schuster made it clear to the Steelers his desire to step out of his primary slot receiver role and get a chance at displaying his potential as a legitimate WR1. Unfortunately, while the opportunity was viable in ‘21, a shoulder injury requiring surgery sidelined him from October until the playoffs, where the Steelers ironically traveled to Kansas City for the Wild Card round.
Theoretically, the greatest value that Smith-Schuster brings to the Chiefs is his strength in the slot. Whether or not he would like to spend the rest of his career in that role is to be seen, but Andy Reid has a way of getting the very most out of players exactly where he needs them, and there is a lot of good to be made by JSS in that slot role. In 2018, the first—and, thus far, only—Pro Bowl season of his career, he hauled in 111 passes for 1,426 yards and 7 touchdowns. 69 of those receptions came from the slot, and for that moment in time, he was considered to be one of if not the best slot receiver in the league. That stellar season did come in compliment to a 1,200 yard, 15 touchdown Pro Bowl season for Antonio Brown, but there is something to be said for 1,400 yards primarily gained on the short side of the field.
It will be some time before a legitimate WR1 emerges in Kansas City for this year, but regardless of who that player is or what kind of a season they put together, JuJu will be on the field with the best quarterback play he’s seen and has a very legitimate opportunity to succeed in a variety of roles.