Steely McBeam
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- Mar 20, 2019
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JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t worried about his contract status as he heads into the final year of his rookie deal.
That might be a good thing considering the Steelers salary cap situation and the uncertain future of NFL finances in general.
The Steelers wide receiver said Monday he wasn’t thinking about anything beyond getting back on the field.
“At the end of the day, I’m just here to play ball,” Smith-Schuster said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com. “I’m not going to be the kind of guy that sits out and waits, regardless if there’s a contract or not.”
That’s at least a comfort to the Steelers, because not every player in line for a new deal has been so agreeable.
But the financial situation there is going to make it difficult for the team. Outside linebacker Bud Dupree is playing out the franchise tag this year, and Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner are among their free agents, along with Cam Heyward, Al Villanueva and Matt Feiler. Along with the uncertainty about next year’s cap because of COVID-19-related revenue losses, it might not be the best time to be in the market.
“As of right now, I’m not worried about that,” he said. “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.”
The 23-year-old wideout is coming off a down year, with a knee injury costing him four games, and the offense down in general without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.