6 WRs the Chicago Bears can target via trade or in free agency
By Evan Bruner
Chicago Bears Option No.4: Juju Smith-Schuster
For the third season in a row, wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster is slated to enter free agency. After signing one-year deals with both Pittsburgh and Kansas City his first two times, Smith-Schuster may be looking for a long-term deal.
There won’t be a more accomplished player in the 2023 free agency class at wide receiver than Smith-Schuster. He has been a productive player his entire career and is having his best season since 2018 with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City.
Smith-Schuster is a jack-of-all-trades receiver that lacks a single signature skill or trait but does just about everything well. He’s shown a great deal of versatility over the years as well, transitioning from an aging Ben Roethlisberger, that mostly threw short, quick passes, to prime Patrick Mahomes is known for his creativity outside of the pocket.
The issue with Smith-Schuster is that he’s at his best when he’s a secondary option. His best season came in 2018 when he was playing alongside prime Antonio Brown, and it’s not a coincidence he is now having his best season since then while playing with Travis Kelce.
The idea of uniting Smith-Schuster and Claypool is tempting but other than that, this pairing seems unlikely to satisfy either side. Still, this is the best option the Chicago Bears will have in free agency, and settling for Smith-Schuster will be better than many of the alternatives.