AFC powerhouse touted as most likely landing spot for Juju Smith-Schuster

Juju Smith-Schuster's 2021 season was a worst-case scenario. The wide receiver entered the season on a one-year "prove it" deal. Unfortunately for the wide receiver, he missed most of the season. However, the injury and expected dead end for the wide receiver could be a blessing in disguise. According to Pats Pulpit, Pro Football Focus has predicted that the Patriots will sign the wide receiver.

Will the Patriots and Juju Smith-Schuster jive?

Pittsburgh Steelers v Philadelphia Eagles

How well would the two parties fit? As it turns out, running into a wall in Pittsburgh could have saved the wide receiver's career. Unlike other players like TJ Watt and Chase Claypool, Smith-Schuster has the ability to skip on the Steelers' upcoming search for a quarterback.

If he ends up with the Patriots, he could see a revival in Foxborough. Mac Jones is budding and the wide receiver room is still missing a body. If Smith-Schuster comes into New England angry, he could play his way into the top receiver spot by the start of the season. With the wide receiver's addition, it would also boost the depth of the team.

With a new number-one receiver, the players lower on the depth chart would shift down one spot. Meaning, they would get much easier matchups. With the move, the Patriots could move from a team destitute at wide receiver in 2020 to a team with a robust group in 2022. Of course, all of the noteworthy pieces are free agents, which presents some issues.

Put simply, free agents are more expensive than their drafted counterparts. They're also older on average. That said, with a quarterback playing on a rookie deal for the next couple of years, the overall cost of the offense could be roughly what it was under Tom Brady. Plus, considering Smith-Schuster's end in Pittsburgh, the Patriots could likely nab him for cheap.

With the receiver, the team would be getting someone who is only 25 years old who came close to 1,000 yards and ten touchdowns in 2020. Assuming the wide receiver can stay healthy, the team can expect a similar performance out of him in 2022. His best season came in 2018 in which he caught 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns.

If the Patriots can get a season like that out of Smith-Schuster in 2022, coupled with a similar defensive performance from 2021, this team could easily finish with the top seed in the AFC in 2022.