Wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster may tempt the Arizona Cardinals
By Jim Koch
At the present time, the Arizona Cardinals have only one sure thing at the wide receiver position. DeAndre Hopkins, a trade acquisition from a year ago, was everything the organization believed he would be in 2020. In 16 starts last fall, the former Houston Texans draft pick hauled in 115 passes for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns for the Cards.
Among the many things on Arizona’s 2021 to-do list is to find a wideout who can be a solid compliment for the dynamic Hopkins. One player who the front office may want to look into is JuJu Smith-Schuster, a 24-year old veteran from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The pass-catcher is scheduled to enter unrestricted free agency after spending the first four campaigns of his NFL career in the “Steel City”.
Back in 2018, Smith-Schuster put up fantastic numbers in 16 appearances (13 starts) for the Steelers. The former second-round pick’s final statistics included 111 receptions, 1,426 receiving yards and seven scores. Smith-Schuster’s outstanding effort earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl at the conclusion of the season.
Last fall, Smith-Schuster totaled 97 catches for 831 yards and nine touchdowns. The only red flag was the miniscule 8.6 yards per reception that the California averaged in the 16 contests he dressed for. In a playoff clash with the Cleveland Browns this past January, Smith-Schuster nabbed 13 passes for 157 yards and a score during Pittsburgh’s 48-37 loss.
Smith-Schuster played his college ball at the University of Southern California. In his three years at the school, the youngster registered 213 receptions, 3,092 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns. Smith-Schuster was voted First-team All-Pac-12 in 2015, and Second-team All-Pac-12 in 2016.
Pairing Smith-Schuster with a five-time Pro Bowler like Hopkins would give quarterback Kyler Murray two top-quality wide receivers to work with. The great Larry Fitzgerald, a future Hall of Famer, is no longer among the league’s best and is mulling retirement. Younger targets like Christian Kirk, Andy Isabella and KeeSean Johnson have yet to perform at a consistent level.
Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has a lot on his plate this offseason. Acquiring a reliable receiver is just one of a laundry list of tasks. Smith-Schuster could very well be the answer for the pass-catcher dilemma.