AFC Notes: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ravens, Steelers

JuJu Smith-Schuster

Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is a pending free agent this offseason but the Steelers beat reporters have been reading the tea leaves for more than a year that the odds are against him being back in Pittsburgh. Smith-Schuster said he “would love to come back” but if that’s not an option he explained what he’s looking for on a new team.

“I’m always about winning,” Smith-Schuster said in an interview with FOX Sports Radio. “I want to be on a team that is fighting and competing for the playoffs every year. As far as the business side and the money, I want to be paid for what I am worth. Obviously for what I do for the team particularly.”

We have him included in our Top 100 – 2021 Free Agents list.

Ravens

• According to the Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens assistant TE coach David Bischoff is expected to join the Texans’ coaching staff. 

Steelers

• The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly lays out the options the Steelers have with QB Ben Roethlisberger‘s contract. He’s set to count $41.25 million against the cap, with $22.25 million in prorated bonus, $4 million in base salary and a $15 million roster bonus due on the third day of the new league year (March 20). 
• Pittsburgh can’t do much about the prorated money, so that leaves the base salary and roster bonus. Despite his public comments about not caring about his salary, Kaboly doesn’t think a straight pay cut is an option for the Steelers and Roethlisberger. He’s already playing at somewhat of a bargain at $19 million in 2021 and there’s a pride aspect to taking a straight salary cut. 
• The Steelers could also convert a portion of Roethlisberger’s salary and roster bonus into incentives so they don’t count against the cap, but they’d have to be classified as not likely to be earned incentives and Kaboly views that as unlikely as well. 
• As for a straight extension, tacking another year and $25 million onto the deal, Kaboly thinks the Steelers would rather move on from Roethlisberger than agree to that. 
• What Kaboly thinks the team will ultimately do is add voidable years to the end of Roethlisberger’s deal to reduce his cap hit in 2021 and push dead money to 2022 if he retires then. It would be unconventional, as Pittsburgh has never done this type of deal even as it becomes more common around the league, but Kaboly thinks it’s their best bet.