It's been about one year since the New England Patriots attempted to replace Jakobi Meyers with JuJu Smith-Schuster as their WR1, though that experiment prematurely ended last week when the team released the former Super Bowl champion with two years remaining on his $25.5 million deal.

The release was justified, as the injury-prone receiver played in just 11 games while putting up the worst season of his career. Held back by a poor scheme fit, horrendous quarterback play, and minimal surrounding talent, he caught just 29 balls for 260 yards and one touchdown.

Smith-Schuster, still only 27 years old, experienced significant success in the NFL before the train derailed in New England. He was a Pro Bowler in 2018 after notching 1,426 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, and he won his aforementioned Super Bowl ring in 2022 as the best wideout on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Once considered a headliner of the NFL's "next generation" of elite receivers, Smith-Schuster appears closer to the end of his career than the beginning of it. Is his release from the Patriots an abrupt end to the final chapter of his career, or is there a redemption arc on the way for JuJu?

JuJu Was Bad Last Year, But Patriots' Offense Was Worse

The wideout's environment did him no favors last season

Once upon a time, Mac Jones was a Pro Bowl rookie for the Patriots, and it looked like then-head coach Bill Belichick had done it again by finding his next franchise quarterback while letting the draft fall to him.

That was in 2021, but it feels like a lifetime ago. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left to be head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, and Jones regressed heavily from there, culminating in a disastrous 2023 season where he was benched multiple times for second-year quarterback Bailey Zappe.

Jones spent the last few seasons piloting an offense run by Matt Patricia and Bill O'Brien, which isn't exactly a murderer's row of elite offensive minds. As expected, the Patriots finished tied for dead last in points per game last season, with 13.9. They also averaged the third-fewest yards per game (276.2) and fifth-fewest passing yards per game (180.5).

That's the context in which Smith-Schuster's 2023 struggles must be understood. It was a disastrous year for the seven-year vet, but New England has become the place where offensive talent goes to die.

When grilled on why the team elected to release the USC alum, head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters that “It was a decision between [General Manager] Eliot [Wolf] and myself, really to give the younger guys an opportunity to go out there and get more reps, and show what they could do."

One red flag that stands out is his lengthy injury history, including multiple concussions and lower body injuries. He played a full 16-game slate with the Chiefs as recently as 2022, though he did miss six games last year and 12 in 2021.

Despite that, it's worth keeping in mind that he's still in his mid-20s. Prior to his lone season in Foxborough, Smith-Schuster was a reliable wideout who had shown tremendous potential in his first few seasons.

Things have statistically gone downhill for JuJu since Antonio Brown forced his way out of Pittsburgh, as he's never come particularly close to repeating his sophomore explosion in 2018. Still, he's proven adept at handling WR1 duties with the Steelers and Chiefs, and he's been a dynamic receiving option when flanked by other elite talent (Brown, Travis Kelce).

With reports emerging that the Steelers are potentially seeking a reunion with Smith-Schuster, it's clear that the wideout's stock hasn't completely hit its nadir. The former second-round pick spent five seasons in Pittsburgh, starting 51 of his 63 games and catching 323 passes for 3,855 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Though his time as one of the league's most impressive offensive weapons appears to be behind him, JuJu's career isn't dead in the water yet. With age and pedigree on his side, don't be surprised to see the one-time Pro Bowler get another shot to lace 'em up.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.