To make room for veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on the roster, the Kansas City Chiefs waived fourth-year quarterback Ian Book, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on August 26.
Kansas City signed Book, 26, to a reserve/future contract on January 10. Book participated in the team’s offseason program and played in the second half of each of the Chiefs’ three preseason games this summer.
The two-time defending Super Bowl champions appear to only want to keep two quarterbacks on the regular-season roster — which is how many they have kept in recent years — with those quarterbacks being Patrick Mahomes and Chris Oladokun.
If Book makes it through waivers and doesn’t sign with another team’s 53-player roster, he is an option for Kansas City’s practice squad.
Kansas City needed to make room for Smith-Schuster, who is expected to sign with the Chiefs, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz on August 26.
What Will JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Role be With Chiefs?
Two years ago, Smith-Schuster had a very defined role with the Chiefs, which was the team’s power slot receiver and primary playmaker behind tight end Travis Kelce. This time around his role with the team won’t be as robust, which is why it’s uncertain how he will fit into the team’s plans.
Second-year receiver Rashee Rice now fills the power slot role that Smith-Schuster once held. It’s also hard to make the case that the Chiefs are desperate for help in the receiver room even if Hollywood Brown is sidelined for the start of the regular season. This would change if a suspension for Rice was coming soon, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
The only reason the Smith-Schuster signing makes sense is if the team believes Smith-Schuster — who dealt with several injuries during the 2023 season with the New England Patriots and finished with 260 receiving yards — is better than any of the players they were considering for the WR6-WR7 role on the regular-season roster.
Brown, Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, and Mecole Hardman appear to be locks for the 53-player roster. Then there’s Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Justyn Ross, and Nikko Remigio, all of which are the strongest candidates to take the final 1-2 roster spots in the receiver room.
If the Chiefs believe Smith-Schuster is better than Toney, Moore, Ross, and/or Remigio, then it makes sense for the team to sign Smith-Schuster to a veteran minimum deal. He’s still getting paid $7 million from the Patriots for the 2024 season, and on a veteran minimum deal Smith-Schuster wouldn’t cost more than Toney or Moore. Bundle that with the fact that he had success within the system when healthy, and Smith-Schuster makes sense as a bottom-of-the-roster addition that can provide value to Kansas City if health is on his side and injuries strike the receiver room.
X Users Reacted to Chiefs Sign JuJu Smith-Schuster
Users on X — formerly Twitter — reacted to the news that the Chiefs are expected to sign Smith-Schuster.
“I like this, but it makes me wonder if Hollywood Brown’s injury might keep him out a bit longer than expected. OR if the team is anticipating a Rice suspension,” one person wrote.
“Brett Veach loves team chemistry, smart move by him honestly with most likely Kadarius Toney not making the roster as Skyy Moore departing soon,” another person wrote. “Hollywood won’t be back till week 6 at most, I really love this add for us.”
