6 Patriots Playing for Their Jobs in Training Camp

2. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

Remember the hype surrounding JuJu Smith-Schuster after he signed a three-year deal with the Patriots last offseason? The veteran wide receiver was coming off a strong campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs that saw him record over 1,000 receiving yards and three touchdowns between the regular season and franchise's Super Bowl run.

Unfortunately, Smith-Schuster didn't play like the WR1 that Patriots fans hoped to see. Plagued by a knee injury that didn't fully heal, the former USC Trojan was limited to just 11 games as he hauled in 29-of-47 targets (61.7%) for only 260 receiving yards and one touchdown. His 23.6 yards per game was, by far, the worst mark of his seven-year career, as was his putrid 48.2 passer rating when targeted.

Even though Smith-Schuster seems to be in better health this summer, his roster spot is far from secure. It was only in May when Patriots insider Greg Bedard reported that the 27-year-old is a potential roster cut candidate this summer. Waiving the struggling receiver would only save about $1 million, though, whereas a trade would give New England an extra $8 million to play with.

If he isn't going to play up to his price tag, it's best to move on from Smith-Schuster sooner rather than later. If he struggled to be a 1,000-yard receiver with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball, it's tough to expect a turnaround with Brissett or an unproven Maye under center.