Chiefs sign wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to one-year deal

The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to a contract with wide-receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, according to... well, himself.

ESPN’s Field Yates had the contract details, which comes in at one year for $10.75 million.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes likes it.

Smith-Schuster, 25, entered the league as a second-round pick made by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound receiver’s best season was 2018, when he had 111 catches, 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. He was limited to five games last season due to injury — and he had 15 catches for 129 yards in a tough year.

The Chiefs were originally interested in Smith-Schuster last offseason when head coach Andy Reid famously texted him photos of the Lombardi Trophy in an effort to recruit him to Kansas City. The wide receiver ultimately decided to return to Pittsburgh for Ben Roethlisberger’s final season.

Smith-Schuster suffered a dislocated shoulder in October, which landed him on injured reserve. Most figured he would miss the entirety of the 2021 season, but he recovered quickly enough to participate in the Steelers’ Wild Card round game against Kansas City. In his final game for Pittsburgh — against the Chiefs — Smith-Schuster recorded five catches for 26 yards.

Smith-Schuster answers general manager Brett Veach’s yearlong search for a proper third pass-catcher in the Kansas City offense. The Chiefs have had a void of sorts since the departure of Sammy Watkins last offseason, and the expectation is that the now-former Steeler will fill that void.