4 reasons JuJu Smith-Schuster won’t be re-signed after 2020

Long-term value

This is where it really gets tough to justify giving Smith-Schuster a five-year contract in a cap-strapped year. More than likely, Ben Roethlisberger will retire during that potential contract, meaning Smith-Schuster will be paired with a new quarterback. While the Steelers will ideally have a new franchise quarterback after Roethlisberger, that is far from a guarantee. It is hard to find a good quarterback, meaning Smith-Schuster will likely be catching passes from a less than desirable player.

We learned last year what Smith-Schuster looks like when a different quarterback is throwing him the ball. While he struggled with injuries last year, he also struggled to make any sort of dynamic impact with a lesser quality quarterback at the helm. He had 552 yards through the air last year, a stat line that is nowhere near worth the kind of money he would be getting paid.

Yes, Smith-Schuster is a valuable player when Roethlisberger is throwing him the ball, but what happens when he retires. If Smith-Schuster reverts back to his 2019 struggles, he won’t be worth the money he will be making. While that is an issue in the future, it is something that has to be considered given the cap issues this team will have to deal with. Smith-Schuster didn’t show up when the team needed him last year, and he will likely see the majority of his contract in a situation like last year.

If the Steelers didn’t have the cap issues that they are set to have, this argument would be vastly different. Smith-Schuster is a great all-around player and seems like a genuinely good player to have in the locker room. Given the cap issues and his role with the team though, the argument to resign Smith-Schuster seems like more of a long shot than a sure thing.