JuJu Smith-Schuster

A collective panic overcame some of Steelers Nation over the weekend, as not one, not two, but three of Pittsburgh's free agent wide receivers signed deals ...

An offseason where Washington was rumored to have asked for a trade further cemented the perception he was in Mike Tomlin’s doghouse. Yet, what came to be is far from what we envisioned, as Washington failed to top more than 30 receptions and 400 yards in three of his four seasons in the Steel City. While I’m happy that McCloud was able to parlay his success in Pittsburgh into a longer-term deal with San Francisco, I won’t pretend that he too was replaceable. The Steelers drafted Chase Claypool in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft anticipating such a move. He would finish fourth in catches and third in yards on the team in 2019, but rebound in 2020 with an awkward stat. Quickly, other clickbait writers started tossing out the names of potential free agent signings for the Steelers to replace these receivers.

Our friends at @TheNFLWire handed out their grade for the Kansas City Chiefs' signing of JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency.

I tend Touchdown Wire is a little too low on this signing, just as they were with Reid. Beyond the absolute steal that is Smith-Schuster’s contract, the brings to the offense a lot of what the Chiefs were lacking in 2021. Smith-Schuster isn’t the league’s most exact route-runner, but he can get open downfield with his athleticism, and he can also work inside as a top slot receiver in the right offense. “Injuries limited Smith-Schuster to just five games in 2021, and when he was on the field, Matt Canada’s “RPO In a Can” offense with Ben Roethlisberger on his last professional legs didn’t do much for him.

Through the first week of NFL free agency, the Kansas City Chiefs have lost some players and added a couple of replacements — but mostly, they have tested ...

But it will take more than a couple of long shots to replace Ward and improve upon the cornerback play we've seen over the past couple of years. The rest of the division aggressively acquired big names like Khalil Mack (Chargers), Chandler Jones (Raiders), and Randy Gregory (Broncos). The Chiefs have been linked to a couple of guys but have yet to pull the trigger on any free-agent EDGE players. Even if it turns out to be a good thing for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, it's clear that the AFC West will be a gauntlet for the upcoming season. The Chiefs' cornerback room: The unit that Veach famously hasn't invested in has taken a step backward with the departure of Charvarius Ward and (and to a lesser extent) Mike Hughes. They still have L'Jarius Sneed and Rashad Fenton returning, which is a start, but there's plenty of work to do. Ward has come a long way since the Chiefs acquired him for Parker Ehinger back in 2018, becoming a consistent and competent starter at one of the most challenging positions in sports. Instead, the Chiefs brought back Clark and Derrick Nnadi but have yet to add any free agents on their defensive front. If all goes according to plan, the Chiefs will add a new EDGE to improve the pass rush and take the pressure off Clark. Even those who wanted to see Clark released have to admit that he could be a pretty strong second or third option for this defensive front. Through the first week of NFL free agency, the Kansas City Chiefs have lost some players and added a couple of replacements — but mostly, they have tested our patience. Now, the market for Mathieu's services appears to be softer than he had hoped. He's focused on finding good fits for the roles Andy Reid needs, bringing in Reid and Smith-Schuster, who will step right in, filling needs from day one. The best we can do now is remember that there's a lot of offseason left to go, and this front office has been pretty good at putting together a roster, even if it's not with the same moves we maybe would have made. This year has been remarkable so far, with big-name quarterbacks and pass rushers flocking to the AFC, and trades and signings are dominating the headlines.