Steelers' JuJu 'not worried' about deal ahead of contract year
Despite coming off a disappointing campaign, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster isn't entering the last year of his rookie contract concerned about an extension.
"As of right now, I'm not worried about that," Smith-Schuster told reporters Monday, including ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "It's more so just playing ball. With everything going on right now, you never know what can happen. For me, I'd love to be a Steeler. But at the end of the day, I'm here to play ball and win games for the team and the organization."
"I'm not going to be the type of guy who sits out and waits. I'm going to play, regardless of the contract or not," he continued, according to Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The Steelers typically don't ink contract extensions with the season underway, which means both parties need to agree on a new deal before Sept. 14, when Pittsburgh opens its campaign against the New York Giants.
A 2017 second-round pick, Smith-Schuster took the league by storm, compiling 58 catches for 917 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. He then led the Steelers in receptions (111) and yards (1,426) a year later, even while sharing the field with Antonio Brown.
Following Brown's departure, Smith-Schuster became Pittsburgh's No. 1 wideout in 2019. However, the 23-year-old battled injuries while playing only 12 games and recording career lows with 552 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 42 receptions.
"I never had serious injuries where I've been out for multiple weeks for that long, so that was a new thing I had to learn as a young guy," Smith-Schuster said, adding that when he wasn't playing, his role became making sure everyone else was "doing their thing."
Smith-Schuster isn't the only Steelers star who could hit free agency after the 2020 season, as running back James Conner, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, and pass-rusher Bud Dupree may also be available.
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