FOXBORO, Mass. — So far, Bill O’Brien likes what he’s seen from JuJu Smith-Schuster.
The Patriots’ offseason program officially began just over two weeks ago, meaning O’Brien and New England’s marquee offseason addition haven’t had much time to work together. The first two weeks consisted largely of meetings and strength/conditioning work, with Monday opening the door for players and positional coaches to work together on the field.
Last Friday, O’Brien offered his initial thoughts on Smith-Schuster, who signed with the Patriots on a three-year, incentive-laden contract.
“It’s early, but he’s a guy that, when you watch him play and you watch his tape from the places that he’s been, he’s a very versatile guy,” O’Brien said. “I think that’s what you see in that wide receiver room. There’s a lot of guys with versatility. He’s definitely a guy that has been a good addition so far, just in the meeting room with his experience and the things that he’s done, especially most recently in Kansas City. So, it’s been good to work with him.”
Smith-Schuster arguably is the most accomplished wideout on New England’s depth chart and could be an upgrade over Jakobi Meyers (now with the Las Vegas Raiders) if he can stay healthy.
His best season came in 2018 when he racked up 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns with the Steelers. Hampered by injuries and poor quarterback play, Smith-Schuster never replicated that production over his final four seasons in Pittsburgh.
But the 26-year-old enjoyed a decent resurgence last season, catching 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns as a top offensive weapon for the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs. If Smith-Schuster can develop a strong connection with third-year quarterback Mac Jones, he could be the busiest and most dangerous pass-catcher in the Patriots offense.
