It took a few days, but eventually JuJu Smith-Schuster got his wish. The veteran receiver will remain in Pittsburgh after signing a one-year deal with the Steelers. Although he did not enter into an agreement as Curtis Samuel signed with Washington, Smith-Schuster was able to stay in Pittsburgh while enabling him to reach a long-term agreement in 2022.
Smith-Schuster turned down several other offers to stay in Pittsburgh. Below we look at the teams that Smith-Schuster rejected. We will also be judging the other winners and losers from the third day of free agency.
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers
After deciding to bring back Ben Roethlisberger, it made sense for the Steelers to try to bring back Roethlisberger’s favorite receiver. Despite receiving the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs, JuJu Smith-Schuster finally decided to return to Pittsburgh on a $ 8 million one-year deal. Pittsburgh was able to keep Smith-Schuster at a very affordable price, while the Steelers’ receiving corps (a group that also includes Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and James Washington) was in line for 2021.
Loser: Baltimore Ravens
Despite trying to sign him, the Ravens fell short in their attempt to land the competitor’s No. 1 receiver. The Ravens are still looking for a veteran receiver, and their options are limited. Luckily for Baltimore, there are still some good veterans available that include Antonio Brown. TY Hilton and Sammy Watkins. The Ravens have put their hat in the ring as for the pursuit of Kenny Golladay.
Winner: Justin Simmons
Instead of playing under the label in 2021, Simmons and the Broncos were able to reach a $ 61 million four-year deal guaranteed for $ 35 million. Simmons is the 98th overall pick in the 2016 draft, and is one of the NFL’s best free safety zones. In 2020, Simmons earned his first Pro Bowl pick after hitting 96 tackles, five interceptions and defending nine passes.
Loser: Chicago Bears
The Bears were apparently determined to land Kenny Golladay after meeting with the Chicago native on Wednesday night. But now it appears the Giants are the frontrunners to land Golladay after meeting with him for the past two days. The Bears do earn props by placing the franchise label on Allen Robinson, making the probable flavor of Golladay easier to digest. The Bears also have several other veteran receivers that they can pursue. That list includes Hilton, Antonio Brown and Watkins.
Wenner: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals finally parted ways with the eight-time Pro Bowl defensive attack, with Geno Atkins saving them $ 9.5 million. Cincinnati also made a big splash when they signed Riley Reiff, a veteran striker. The 32-year-old Reiff, the 23rd overall pick in the 2012 draft, has spent the past four years with the Vikings after playing five seasons in Detroit. Reiff, who has experience at both tackles, has 127 starts in 135 games in the regular season. Last season, Reiff helped Dalvin Cook finish second in the NFL with 1,557 running yards.
Cincinnati also traded Ryan Finely, rugby quarterback, to Houston and allowed them to move up about 30 places at the end of the 2021 concept.
Loser: Russell Wilson
Despite their inner turmoil, Wilson and the Seahawks are likely to stay together for the 2021 season, according to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora. The Saints, Bears, Raiders and Cowboys – the teams on the approved list of Wilson’s teams he would agree to trade with – made other moves at the quarterback after failing to complete a trade deal with Seattle earlier this week. And although the window has not theoretically been closed, it appears that Wilson will return to Seattle. The Seahawks have taken some steps to help protect Wilson in 2021. They re-signed center Ethan Pocic, while also swapping a fifth round for the Raiders for guard Gabe Jackson. They also made Wilson a little happier by re-signing veteran Chris Carson for a two-year report.