Commanders Urged to Add Patriots Flop at WR

Getty A former New England Patriots flop can help the Washington Commanders at wide receiver.

W

ide receiver is becoming a looming issue for the Washington Commanders, one the team could solve by rolling the dice on former New England Patriots flop JuJu Smith-Schuster.

He’s somebody the Commanders should sign now, according to Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder. The latter believes Washington needs another viable weapon for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Holder thinks Smith-Schuster “should pique the team’s interest to give Daniels another veteran target to throw to.”

Smith-Schuster piquing any team’s interest will be tough after a disappointing season with the Patriots, but Holder noted how the former Super Bowl winner with the Kansas City Chiefs is “only two years removed from logging 78 catches for 933 yards.”

This potential signing makes sense for the Commanders, provided Smith-Schuster can prove he’s healthy.

JuJu Smith-Schuster Makes Sense for Commanders

A lingering knee injury doomed Smith-Schuster’s time in New England and led to his release on August 9. Not being close to 100 percent condemned the 27-year-old to delivering mediocre production, just 29 catches and 260 yards.

When he’s healthy, Smith-Schuster can get open over the middle and amass yards after the catch. He did both regularly in 2022 en route to helping the Chiefs win a Super Bowl.

Smith-Schuster tallied 465 of his 933 yards with the Chiefs after the catch, including averaging six yards after catch per reception, according to Pro Football Reference. One of his best plays in a Chiefs uniform was this catch and run for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills.

The score summed up the best qualities of Smith-Schuster’s game. Working inside the numbers and turning into a running back after the catch.

There were precious few moments when those traits showed up with the Patriots, but Smith-Schuster used to be a prolific playmaker from the slot. That dominance dates back to his days with the Pittsburgh Steelers, when “from 2017 to 2020,” Smith-Schuster “led the NFL in YAC (1,107) from the slot,” per Next Gen Stats.

Winning between the hashmarks makes Smith-Schuster the underneath safety valve Daniels needs.

Jayden Daniels Needs More Receiver Help

The Commanders have bet big on Daniels, the second-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, quickly making the grade as a franchise quarterback. It’s why head coach Dan Quinn officially named the first-year signal-caller the starter for Week 1, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

If Daniels is going to live up to the hype, the Commanders need to put more competent receivers around him. Especially since disappointing former first-round pick Jahan Dotson is already losing an underwhelming battle to be Washington’s No. 2 receiver.

The ongoing struggles experienced by Dotson, the 16th player drafted two years ago, aren’t the only concern regarding the Commanders’ receiver corps. They simply lack marquee talent outside of four-time 1,000-yard wideout Terry McLaurin.

It’s why the Commanders handed a 33-year-old a return to football after six years in exile. The move showed Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury are aware they need more quality pass-catchers.

There are options on the veteran market, including a former top-five pick who can attack defenses vertically. Yet, Smith-Schuster represents a smarter signing.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder offers more experience and the size and savvy to get open in traffic and give Daniels easy throws to move the chains. Getting all those things for what would likely be a veteran’s minimum contract would be a steal for the cap-rich Commanders.