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With Super Bowl LVII officially in the books, the Kansas City Chiefs are already thinking about the 2023 season. Following their second title in the past four years, they are likely aiming to repeat in the upcoming season. The problem is that Kansas City is already over the salary cap with some key pending free agents. One of them is wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
In the 2022 offseason, he joined the organization on a one-year, $10.75 million contract after spending his first five years in the league with the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his first year with Kansas City, Smith-Schuster became one of Patrick Mahomes’ top targets, especially as the team moved on from Tyreek Hill.
In 16 games, the wideout had 78 receptions for 933 yards, with only Travis Kelce being more productive in those categories. Smith-Schuster also ended up scoring three touchdowns in the regular season, giving him his best-receiving numbers since his Pro Bowl campaign in 2018.
Against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, he caught seven passes for 53 yards. Most importantly, he was in the controversial holding call that put the Chiefs in position for the game-winning field goal.
Thanks to his performances with Kansas City, he should be one of the main wide receivers in the 2023 NFL free-agency class. With that being said, here are the three best landing spots for JuJu Smith-Schuster in the 2023 NFL free agency.
3. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are in an interesting position ahead of the 2023 offseason. They own the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, where most analysts have quarterback Bryce Young as the top prospect. But since they already have Justin Fields, they could explore multiple trades to acquire draft capital and players.
Regardless of what they do on draft night, the Bears have to address their receiving group. In 2022, tight end Cole Kmet lead the team with just 544 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The leading wide receiver was Darnell Mooney with 40 catches for 493 yards and two scores.
This ended up forcing Chicago to use mostly the ground game on offense. Because of that, Fields had over 1,000 rushing yards. However, with him missing some games due to injury, perhaps the best solution is to preserve his body with a better passing game.
If Smith-Schuster joins the Bears, he could be a WR1 right away. Also, since they have the most cap space in the league with about $98.8 million available, the wideout could get a bigger paycheck than he would elsewhere.
2. New York Giants
Another team that could use JuJu Smith-Schuster's services is the New York Giants. They are coming off a surprising 2022 campaign that included their first trip to the playoffs since 2016.
Despite the success, the team placed just No. 26 in passing yards and No. 24 in passing touchdowns. Richie James led the way with 569 receiving yards. He tied with running back Saquon Barkley for most receptions with 57.
To make matters worse, Kenny Golladay, one of the team's biggest free-agency signings in recent memory, failed to impress. He only had six catches for 81 yards this past season as he missed multiple games due to injuries. New York is reportedly waiving him ahead of the offseason.
Additionally, James, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, and Marcus Johnson are all unrestricted free agents. This means the unit could see major changes for the upcoming 2023 season.
Without Golladay, the Giants still have a ton of cap space to work with. So, just like the Bears, the Giants can offer Smith-Schuster a big contract and a larger role. In New York, he could be the team's WR1 right away and be the second option on offense just behind Barkley on the ground.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
At the end of the day, JuJu Smith-Schuster could return to Kansas City. In this scenario, he would have continuity in his career and would have a real shot at winning another Super Bowl ring. Also, he would still play alongside two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes, which could be very helpful for his career.
As it was stated above, the main issue is that the Chiefs are in a tough financial position. They are over the salary cap with some key players hitting free agency, including Smith-Schuster. One of them is Orlando Brown Jr. The offensive tackle is widely considered the team’s top free agent and even one of the top names in the 2023 free agent class. This means that Kansas City might need to spend a lot of money to keep him in Missouri.
For Smith-Schuster to stay with the Chiefs, he would likely need to accept another short-term, friendly deal. He would probably miss out on a big contract but would keep his role as the team's second-top receiving weapon behind Kelce.
All things considered, the best landing spot for JuJu Smith-Schuster is staying in Kansas City. Although difficult and not financially the best option for him, he would continue competing for Super Bowls and playing alongside Mahomes.
