NFL free agency 2023: Patriots sign wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to reported 3-year, $25.5 million contract

Original story 3/15/2023: Patriots sign wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to reported 3-year, $25.5million contract

The New England Patriots’ three-year contract with free agent wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is reportedly not quite as expensive as initially presented. While the value of the pact was first reported at $33 million, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero shared the actual cost of the deal a short time later: $25.5 million, with $16 million in guarantees.

Smith-Schuster can still earn $33 million, but the difference between the base value and the maximum value is made out of incentives.

Original story 3/15/2023: Patriots sign wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to reported 3-year, $33 million contract

The New England Patriots are adding to their wide receiver corps. JuJu Smith-Schuster will be joining the team on a three-year, $33 million contract, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Smith-Schuster, 26, entered the offseason as one of the top wide receivers on the market. A former second-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, he appeared in 66 games for the organization between 2017 and 2021 and earned one Pro Bowl nomination.

He left Pittsburgh last year to join the Kansas City Chiefs and ended up being instrumental in helping the team win a Super Bowl. All in all, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound wideout appearing in 19 regular season and playoff games for his new club and caught a combined 88 passes for 1,022 yards and three touchdowns.

The Patriots entered the offseason with a need at the wide receiver spot. While Smith-Schuster might not be the only acquisition to address it, he will help the team replace fellow free agent Jakobi Meyers.

The former undrafted free agent, who led New England in targets and receiving yards each of the last three seasons, Meyers left to join the Las Vegas Raiders. Coincidentally, he also signed a three-year deal with a value of $33 million.