Patriots Advised to Avoid Viral WR With Massive Instagram Following

The New England Patriots have to fill up a few voids on their roster and they have been linked with a few players. Head coach Bill Belichick will make a few moves in the offseason. However, the Patriots head coach has been advised to avoid a viral WR.

Juju Smith-Schuster is a good player and he is really popular on social media. Many analysts have linked him to the Patriots, but Ezra Bernstein believes that the team should avoid him at any cost.

“While New England does need help at wide receiver, former Pittsburgh Steeler JuJu Smith-Schuster is not the answer,” Bernstein detailed. “The USC product is a fan favorite, but he hasn’t done all that much on the football field recently. Over the last two seasons combined, Smith-Schuster has 960 receiving yards and three touchdowns. That’s partially due to injuries, but he’s also had a tough time being effective when on the field.”

Patriots to avoid viral WR and get another player

Belichick needs a lethal weapon for his rookie quarterback. Julian Edelman is retired and the Patriots really need someone like him. Juju may be famous, but he is not a threat on the field. He played his best football in 2018 and delivered 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and 7 touchdowns with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“In his last full season in 2020, Smith-Schuster’s average depth of target was 6.5 yards, proving that he isn’t a big-play threat,” Bernstein added. “It’s hard to justify spending money on an overpriced safety blanket for Mac Jones when there are far better upgrades available elsewhere.”

Bernstein wouldn’t bet on Juju and he’d rather go with DJ Chark from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Belichick can recognize talented players and Chark is definitely an option. Let’s not forget that he is relatively young, too.

“New England has several better options than Smith-Schuster at wide receiver,” Bernstein adds. “There are a ton of big-name pass-catchers in this free agent class, but it’s somewhat unlikely the Patriots go after any of them because of their cap situation. DJ Chark of the Jacksonville Jaguars is certainly a name to watch for New England. His speed is appealing to any team, and he’s still only 25 years old.”