It took a few days but, in the end, JuJu Smith-Schuster got his wish. The veteran receiver will remain in Pittsburgh after signing a one-year deal with the Steelers. While he did not land a deal similar to the one Curtis Samuel signed with Washington, Smith-Schuster was able to remain in Pittsburgh while putting himself in position to land a long-term deal in 2022.
Smith-Schuster turned down several other offers to stay in Pittsburgh. Below, we’ll take a look at the teams Smith-Schuster spurned. We’ll also review the other winners and losers from the third day of free agency.
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers
Once they decided to bring Ben Roethlisberger back, it made sense for the Steelers to try to bring back Roethlisberger’s favorite receiver. Despite receiving offers from the Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs, JuJu Smith-Schuster ultimately decided to return to Pittsburgh on a one-year, $8 million deal. Pittsburgh was able to keep Smith-Schuster at a very affordable price while keeping the Steelers’ receiving corps (a group that also includes Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and James Washington) in tact for 2021.
Loser: Baltimore Ravens
Despite making a spirited effort to sign him, the Ravens fell short in their bid to land their rival’s No. 1 receiver. The Ravens are still in search of a veteran receiver, and their options are getting limited. Fortunately for Baltimore, there are still a few good veterans available that include Antonio Brown. T.Y. Hilton and Sammy Watkins. The Ravens have put their hat in the ring as it relates to pursuing Kenny Golladay.
Winner: Justin Simmons
Instead of playing under the tag in 2021, Simmons and the Broncos were able to come to terms on a four-year, $61 million deal that includes $35 million guaranteed. The 98th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Simmons has blossomed into one of the NFL’s top free safeties. In 2020, Simmons earned his first Pro Bowl selection after recording 96 tackles, five interceptions and nine passes defensed.
Loser: Chicago Bears
The Bears appeared to be firmly in the mix to land Kenny Golladay after meeting with the Chicago native on Wednesday night. But now, it appears that the Giants are the front-runner to land Golladay after meeting with him over the past two days. The Bears do deserve props by placing the franchise tag on Allen Robinson, which makes the likely whiff of Golladay easier to digest. The Bears also have several other veteran receivers they can pursue. That list includes Hilton, Antonio Brown and Watkins.
Winner: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals finally parted with eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins, saving them $9.5 million in cap space. Cincinnati also made a big splash when they signed veteran offensive tackle Riley Reiff. The 23rd overall pick in the 2012 draft, the 32-year-old Reiff spent the past four years with the Vikings after playing five seasons in Detroit. Reiff, who has experience at both tackle spots, has 127 starts in 135 regular-season games. Last season, Reiff helped Dalvin Cook finish second in the NFL with 1,557 rushing yards.
Cincinnati also traded backup quarterback Ryan Finely to Houston, allowing them to move up about 30 spots at the end of the 2021 draft.
Loser: Russell Wilson
Despite their inner turmoil, Wilson and the Seahawks will likely stay together for the 2021 season, according to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora. The Saints, Bears, Raiders and Cowboys — the teams on Wilson’s approved list of teams he would agree to be traded to — have made other moves at quarterback after not being able to complete a trade deal with Seattle earlier this week. And while the window hasn’t theoretically closed, it appears that Wilson will be returning to Seattle. The Seahawks have made a few moves to help protect Wilson in 2021. They re-signed center Ethan Pocic while also trading a fifth-round pick to the Raiders for guard Gabe Jackson. They also made Wilson a little happier by re-signing veteran running back Chris Carson to a reported two-year deal.