What’s the most Steelers should be willing to pay WR JuJu Smith-Schuster?

JuJu Smith-Schuster is going to be seeking a lucrative new contract after the 2020 NFL season. What’s the most the Steelers should be willing to pay him?

The Steelers are masterminds when it comes to managing the salary cap and retaining their own players year after year. Kevin Colbert has done exactly that for twenty years in Pittsburgh. However, 2020 presents entirely new challenges and keeping all of their star players will be nearly impossible after this season.

Some of the contracts set to expire this year for Pittsburgh include those of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Cameron Heyward, Bud Dupree, and James Conner, among many others. In a year where there could even be a decrease in salary cap due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Colbert will need to be especially careful with the contracts he hands out.

Because of this, what is the most the Steelers should be willing to pay to keep JuJu Smith-Schuster around long-term?

JuJu has obviously proved his worth. He was the youngest player in NFL history to reach 2,500 receiving yards – surpassing the great Randy Moss. Still just 23 years old, he holds a lot of value and should have an extremely promising career ahead of him.

But figuring out his next contract won’t be easy. JuJu took a step back in play last year that was a bit concerning. Despite starting 12 games, he managed just 552 receiving yards (46 yards per game), and his 60 percent catch rate was significantly lower than his first two NFL seasons.

However, even if JuJu returns to his 2018 form this season, should the Steelers be willing to make him one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL? JuJu played a majority of snaps last year from the slot, and he has yet to prove that he could be a true number one wide receiver in the NFL.

Currently, six NFL wide receivers are making at least $18 million per season, according to Over the Cap. This list includes Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, Michael Thomas, A.J. Green, Tyreke Hill, and Odell Beckham. These players are all considered among the best in the league at their position, and I don’t feel JuJu falls into this category.

The next tier of payment is for receivers making $16 million per season. This includes Mike Evans, Adam Theilin, Brandon Cooks, and DeAndre Hopkins. While you could argue that JuJu would be in this group, these are veteran wide receivers who have proved they can consistently win on the outside.

In my opinion, JuJu should fall in the third tier of payment that includes players like Davante Adams, Stephon Diggs, Jarvis Landry, Allen Robinson, T.Y. Hilton, and Alshon Jeffery. These receivers are being paid at least $13 million per season and have all proven their worth in the NFL.

Assuming there is some inflation, let’s settle on a reasonable yearly value number of $14.8 million for JuJu in his next deal. This would make him the 12th-highest-paid receiver in the league in terms of yearly value, and still earn him more money than players like Davante Adams, Stephon Diggs, and Keenan Allen.

Obviously, this is just what I think he should get paid on his next deal. What Smith-Schuster will actually earn will be much more.

JuJu’s market value could end up falling anywhere between $15 million and $18 million per season – potentially making him a top-five paid receiver in the NFL. This is where I would draw the line, and I don’t believe the Steelers could afford to be the team to offer him that money.

It will be interesting to see how JuJu does in 2020 and whether or not he proves to be paid top-dollar at the position. As of now, I think Smith-Schuster should be paid like the third tier of receivers in the ballpark of $13-15 million in yearly value.