Bill Belichick Deflects Fair Questions About JuJu Smith-Schuster

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Patriots’ top offseason acquisition, basically was a healthy scratch Sunday. He wasn’t on the Week 8 injury report, and all of his snaps (18) against the Dolphins came in the fourth quarter after Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker both got hurt.

Smith-Schuster’s de facto benching in Miami served as yet another indictment of Bill Belichick’s decision to sign the veteran receiver instead of Jakobi Meyers during the offseason. And it’s something New England’s head coach must answer for.

Well, Belichick was asked about Smith-Schuster’s playing time after Sunday’s 31-17 loss, which dropped his team to 2-6. But you probably can guess what his response was.

“We’ve played multiple people,” Belichick said during a postgame news conference. “That’s – we played multiple people. So, whichever
guy plays less, you ask why that guy didn’t play more. We can’t play everybody.”

Right. But we weren’t asking about someone like Jalen Reagor, who was on the practice squad until four days ago. We were asking about the fourth highest-paid player on the team and one of the highest-paid receivers in Patriots history. We were asking about someone who had just 15 catches for 89 yards and one touchdown in his first six games.

Belichick gave another non-answer Monday morning when asked what Smith-Schuster’s role will be moving forward.

“Well look, JuJu’s missed a couple of games there and it was good to get him back yesterday,” Belichick said, referring to Smith-Schuster missing two games due to a concussion. “He did a good job for us when he got his opportunities there later in the game. It looks like he will be physically ready to go. So, it’ll be good to have him back.”

Ultimately, Belichick doesn’t need to say anything, which probably is why he didn’t answer either question. The reasons for Smith-Schuster’s lack of playing time are obvious.

Be it due to an offseason knee procedure or an undisclosed separate injury, Smith-Schuster clearly isn’t moving like his old self. He lacks explosion off the line and provides nothing after the catch. There’s no way he should see playing time in the slot over rookie Demario Douglas, who might be the best receiver on the team.

That said, with Bourne reportedly suffering a torn ACL on Sunday, the Patriots might have no choice but to increase Smith-Schuster’s playing time. They’ll host the Washington Commanders this Sunday.