3 Patriots on the Chopping Block Next After Mac Jones Trade

1. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

This final player won't save them any money but there are times when you can find addition through subtraction. And subtracting JuJu Smith-Schuster from the roster could add to their overall morale.

Smith-Schuster wore out his welcome with the Pittsburgh Steelers when he proved to be more concerned with TikTok videos than playing football. He was able to restore his image while playing on a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, even winning a Super Bowl with them.

That led to him signing a three-year, $33 million deal in New England to help fix their struggling receiving corps. He quickly proved that if he doesn't have the motivation of earning his next pay check, he's not going to produce.

Smith-Schuster had the worst season of his career with just 29 receptions for 260 yards and a single touchdown. Most of that damage came in his final game, which was against the Steelers. When motivated against his former team, he had 90 yards on four receptions. Outside of that, he was hardly heard from in the 11 games he played.

Releasing Smith-Schuster as a post-June 1 cut would be the least painful way to move on but it would still lead to $9.6 million in dead money with under $1 million in open space. Even so, it could be worth it to move on and they have the cap space to do so.

More Patriots coverage