JuJu Smith-Schuster has two words for why he joined Patriots

It's true, Smith-Schuster couldn't have asked for much better of a situation in 2022 with Kansas City. In his lone season with the Chiefs, he played in a system that included two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Andy Reid and MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes, as well as one of the most well-respected offensive minds in the game in offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

After it looked like Smith-Schuster's career was on the downswing following his five-game, 15-catch, 0-touchdown 2021 campaign in his final year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he may have resurrected himself last year.

Aside from All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, Smith-Schuster was arguably Mahomes' favorite and most-trusted target in 2022. Despite missing one game, the 26-year-old was second on the team in the regular season in targets (101), receptions (78) and receiving yards (933), finishing behind only Kelce in all three categories.

Smith-Schuster also had a career-best 77.2% catch percentage, and his 933 receiving yards were his best since he put up a career-high 1,426 yards during his 2018 Pro Bowl season. After two quiet games to start his first and only playoff run with Kansas City, the USC product tied Philadelphia Eagles star wideout DeVonta Smith for a game-high nine targets and seven catches in the Chiefs Super Bowl LVII victory.

Now with a potentially rebuilding Patriots team (though ownership and coaching would never admit to it), Smith-Schuster finds himself in a very different situation in New England. Although Smith-Schuster should find himself atop the team's receiving depth chart entering summer, he also faces a serious drop in talent at quarterback in going from Mahomes to Mac Jones.

Smith-Schuster seems optimistic that as long as Bill Belichick is around, things will be all right.