The Giants moved on from JuJu Smith-Schuster on Tuesday, and now the veteran receiver is back in free agency after a short stay in East Rutherford that lasted 77 days.
New York signed Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal after a workout that also brought in Braxton Berrios and Odell Beckham Jr. with contracts, which immediately crowded the receiver room. With a 53-man roster to trim down and 12 other receivers fighting for top-six or seven spots, the writing was on the wall.
An early knee injury only made the situation tougher. Smith-Schuster dealt with swelling during training camp, was held out of practice, and missed the preseason opener. Now the 29-year-old is looking for his next landing spot with 481 career catches, 5,624 receiving yards, and 33 touchdowns on his résumé.
Buffalo looks like the most urgent call. If any team should be pushing hard to add Smith-Schuster, it’s the Bills, who are trying to protect Josh Allen’s Super Bowl window.
They already landed D.J. Moore from Chicago in a blockbuster trade earlier this offseason, but the depth behind him has some real question marks.
Khalil Shakir fits better as a WR3 than a WR2, rookie Keon Coleman has a sprained foot/toe after the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers, and the next wave - Mecole Hardman, Joshua Palmer, and rookie Skyler Bell - does not offer the same kind of proven insurance. Bell has flashed in camp, but he’s also dealing with a nagging injury.
For a team chasing a title, that’s a lot to ask from a thin group.
Houston is in a similarly rough spot. The Texans lost second-year receiver Jayden Higgins to an ACL injury on Tuesday during joint practice with the Raiders, and the hits keep coming.
Tank Dell is still working back from the torn ACL, MCL, LCL, meniscus damage, and dislocated kneecap he suffered in 2024, which wiped out his entire season. Jaylin Noel is also dealing with hamstring issues, though he is expected to be ready for the opener.
Houston has gone 32-19 over the past three years and fallen in the divisional round each time, so adding a receiver with a Super Bowl ring could be a useful way to bolster the back end of the roster as C.J. Stroud tries to keep moving forward.
Kansas City also belongs on the list, because the fit is almost too easy to ignore. Smith-Schuster has already had three separate stints with the Chiefs, so he knows the operation well.
Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton are set to handle most of the work, while rookie Cyrus Allen has been turning heads at camp. Still, there’s a place for a veteran who can help and has the size and experience to do more than just occupy a jersey.
Smith-Schuster can also help in the run game when he’s right; he posted an 89.4 run-blocking grade two seasons ago. For a Chiefs team that has invested heavily in reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, another willing blocker would fit.
Then there’s Las Vegas, the wild card that makes more sense than it might first sound. The Raiders’ passing game is basically Brock Bowers and not much else right now.
Their top three receivers are Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, and sixth-round rookie Malik Benson, and Tucker and Nailor have combined for 192 receptions, 2,632 yards, and 21 touchdowns across seven seasons. That works out to an average of 27 catches, 376 yards, and 3 touchdowns per season.
If Las Vegas is serious about giving 2026 first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza something more to work with once he takes over at quarterback, the receiver room needs a lot more firepower than that.
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