Jerod Mayo and the New England Patriots have spent most of the offseason looking for a number one wide receiver to come in and help out their offense, which made their decision to release veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster so shocking. Smith-Schuster had been employed in a similar role earlier in his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and while he wasn't healthy for much of his first season with the Pats, he claimed that he was ready to roll heading into the 2024 campaign.

While Smith-Schuster may feel that way, it doesn't seem like the Patriots viewed things similarly. When speaking about the team's decision to move on from the veteran wideout, Mayo said that he just wants to see Smith-Schuster get healthy, implying that he may not be at the spot he seems to think he is from a physical standpoint.

Jerod Mayo, Patriots giving other wide receivers a shot

New England Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (7) warms up during training camp at Gillette Stadium
Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

While Smith-Schuster played in 11 games for New England last season, he failed to make much of an impact during his time on the field (29 REC, 260 YDS, 1 TD). Some of that could be attributed to New England's horrific quarterback situation, but it simply looked like he did not have the same burst he had earlier in his career.

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Now that he's out of the picture, the Patriots crowded wide receiver depth chart has gotten a bit more clarity. Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker are likely locks to make the initial 53-man roster, leaving K.J. Osborn, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, and Jalen Reagor battling for what will likely be only two available roster spots.

Given his struggles early in training camp, it made sense for the Patriots to move on from Smith-Schuster and give more snaps to the rest of the guys at this spot in an effort to help them figure out who will make the team. He'll have a shot to latch on with another team during the remainder of training camp, but it remains to be seen whether another team will be willing to take a flier on him.

New England's decision to let Jakobi Meyers leave in favor of signing Smith-Schuster was a questionable call at the time, and it looks like an even worse move now that the team has already let go of JuJu. However, it gives New England a chance to rebuild the position with some talented young players, and it will be interesting to see how the depth chart at this position ends up looking once 53-man rosters are announced.