The New England Patriots reportedly are not expected to pursue marquee free agents who likely will command top dollar on the open market this offseason.
Choosing to spend moderately doesn’t necessarily mean Bill Belichick and company won’t be able to add above-average talent, though.
NFL writer Gregg Rosenthal on Monday put together two lists of impending free agents: one of players who likely will rake in more than they’re worth, with the other featuring players who might be able to be signed on a bargain.
One of the players in the underpriced category, JuJu Smith-Schuster, potentially could appeal to the Patriots.
“JuJu is a young player with a history of production, and his status as a post-hype all-star will keep his price down,” Rosenthal wrote for NFL.com. “That’s exactly the type of free agent to target. Antonio Brown’s burns weren’t completely off-base; Smith-Schuster was never a No. 1 wideout. But he’d be an elite slot receiver at a bargain-basement price.”
There hasn’t been much chatter about Smith-Schuster possibly taking his talents to New England, but that might have more to do with the crop of top-tier wideouts set to hit the market. Pro Football Focus, however, recently predicted the Patriots will sign the 25-year-old to a one-year, $8 million deal with $6.25 million guaranteed.
Receivers who work primarily in the slot historically have had more success in Foxboro than down-field threats. If he’s able to stay healthy for most of the 2022 season, Smith-Schuster could be a legitimate impact player for the Patriots.
