3 expiring contracts the Steelers must renew this offseason

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

JuJu has had an up and down career. From being a rookie sensation to struggling in 2019 without Big Ben, he still has shown in 2020 how important he is to this Steelers team. His leadership, even as a 24-year-old player, cannot be denied. He has taken the spot as the veteran leader for a group of guys who average 23.5 years of age.

He hasn’t quite lived up to his 2018 season where he put up 1,426 yards on 111 receptions. Through his struggles, he has displayed a positive, team-first attitude that the Steelers need on the roster.

JuJu’s 2020 season has been better with Ben at the helm producing a 97-831-9 stat line on the year. In a season where the Steelers’ offense was filled with short passes, his yards per catch (8.6) fell well below his previous average of 13.7 yards per catch.

JuJu will likely cost a pretty big chunk of change but the Steelers may be able to figure something out through restructures and other cap casualties. This will be, by far, the toughest free agent to retain for the team but the receiver room would benefit greatly from such an extension.