After losing Rondale Moore to a season-ending knee injury, the Atlanta Falcons could use some help at the wide receiver position. Moore, who went down during Wednesday’s joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, was placed on the injured reserve list by the team on Thursday.
The Falcons can look to someone already on the roster, such as Casey Washington, or potentially sign a veteran. The free-agent market has some intriguing names, including a former Pro Bowler who just became available.
The Patriots released veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Friday. The former Steelers star has ties to Atlanta’s staff. Falcons wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard previously coached Smith-Schuster in Pittsburgh, as highlighted by The Athletic’s Josh Kendall.
Smith-Schuster played for Atlanta WR coach Ike Hilliard in Pittsburgh, and the Falcons need help at WR. https://t.co/7byHvgJRBB
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) August 9, 2024
So is the 27-year-old worth a look for Atlanta? Smith-Schuster had a quiet season in 2023 but racked up over 900 receiving yards and three touchdowns with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. The Steelers drafted the veteran wideout in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft.
Smith-Schuster instantly succeeded in Pittsburgh, topping 900 yards as a rookie before a monster sophomore campaign. The former USC Trojan earned a trip to the Pro Bowl behind a 111-catch, 1,426-yard season in 2018.
While Smith-Schuster has fallen off somewhat since his remarkable second year, the Falcons would only need him to be their third/fourth wide receiver. It’s certainly worth a look, but the team is low on salary cap space ($3.3 million, per Over The Cap).
We’ll have to see how the wide receivers fair in Friday night’s preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins. To learn about other wide receiver options for Atlanta, check out our list of five potential replacements for Rondale Moore.
