One thing to say about Juju

[tbsteel]

If he is seriously hurt, he deserves a ton of props from Steelers fans.

I don't think there is anyone on the offense that has played harder than he has going back to last year. The dude was consistently lit up by defenders last season but always fought and clawed for every extra yard that he could. He could've left in FA for more money and for better QBs and passing offenses but he decided to run it back with Ben for one more season. How many other guys would have done that?

And our other TikTok superstar in Chase Claypool had a hell of a game himself. That crosser he took for 50+ was freakish. And how about the smarts staying in bounds late in the fourth after picking up that first down? You love to see it.

[SteelerDayTrader]

If he is seriously hurt, he deserves a ton of props from Steelers fans.

I don't think there is anyone on the offense that has played harder than he has going back to last year. The dude was consistently lit up by defenders last season but always fought and clawed for every extra yard that he could. He could've left in FA for more money and for better QBs and passing offenses but he decided to run it back with Ben for one more season. How many other guys would have done that?

And our other TikTok superstar in Chase Claypool had a hell of a game himself. That crosser he took for 50+ was freakish. And how about the smarts staying in bounds late in the fourth after picking up that first down? You love to see it.

Not sure I buy that about JuJu.

[Jizz Mop]

JuJu hopefully doesn’t have a rotator cuff or labrum injury

If he does

We potentially saw his last play w the Blk and Gold

Tough player

[K_C_]

JuJu has been VERY above the line, if you will.

...and he isn't giving our opponents bulletin board material either.

[ToddHaleysNineIron]

Tough guy on the field.... would do more than expected....

a football player


but not a steeler.

there is a difference.....he's a guy you might love to watch but know... deep down... it wasn't about the team.

[sinceiwas4]

i think youre wrong about Juju not being about the team its just the kid grew up in fantasy football social media branding world and ur comparing him to cats that didnt. for a modern player he's been fine. and has always played tough on the field. hope he's not done for season.

[K_C_]

I didn't mind JuJu being involved in social media at all.

That's how my 14 year old daughter fell in love with JuJu.

I didn't like the Terrell Owens bullshit he pulled last year. At all.

It was Bush league.

Glad he's over that dumbass phase, so welcome back. If he wants to come back next season, I'd love to see it.

[Scunge]

I was one who wanted JuJu gone in the offseason, I still do. I don't want to wish injury on anybody but if he were gone for the season? This offense would be better.

JuJu out and what happens? We suddenly had Chase lining up in the slot and getting big splash plays out of the slot. That used to happen with JuJu his first two years out of that slot position.

If JuJu were out for a large amount of time, you would see Chase being able to get more snaps out of the slot and get better AND better AND better.

Diontae is a complete WR, he can catch short, intermediate and deep passes, a 45 and 50 yard TDs the past two weeks. Chase Claypool can also be that complete WR instead of being pigeonholed as a deep threat.

JuJu out and guess what, Claypool is able to thrive, able to line up in different ways, the TEs are now seemingly rediscovered. This is not a coincidence, Ben was USING JuJu as a glorified TE, using him as his Heath Miller security blanket. Many want to proclaim their love and admiration for JuJu as this tough slot WR, but all I have seen the past 3 years is a player that is neither fish nor fowl. Not good enough as a real TE or as a real slot WR.

[K_C_]

I was one who wanted JuJu gone in the offseason, I still do. I don't want to wish injury on anybody but if he were gone for the season? This offense would be better.

JuJu out and what happens? We suddenly had Chase lining up in the slot and getting big splash plays out of the slot. That used to happen with JuJu his first two years out of that slot position.

If JuJu were out for a large amount of time, you would see Chase being able to get more snaps out of the slot and get better AND better AND better.

Diontae is a complete WR, he can catch short, intermediate and deep passes, a 45 and 50 yard TDs the past two weeks. Chase Claypool can also be that complete WR instead of being pigeonholed as a deep threat.

JuJu out and guess what, Claypool is able to thrive, able to line up in different ways, the TEs are now seemingly rediscovered. This is not a coincidence, Ben was USING JuJu as a glorified TE, using him as his Heath Miller security blanket. Many want to proclaim their love and admiration for JuJu as this tough slot WR, but all I have seen the past 3 years is a player that is neither fish nor fowl. Not good enough as a real TE or as a real slot WR.

While I don''t disagree overall, JuJu has basically been forced to become another TE, except he's reliable unlike Ebron. It doesn't have to be this way. JuJu isn't fast but we've all seen him make plays downfield before. He's been great in the past on intermediate routes. It's only been the last 2 years that he doesn't seem allowed to run a route more than 6 or 7 yards away from the line of scrimmage.

Another problem we have with JuJu out is depth. The Steelers are no longer loaded with talent at WR. James Washington is hurt and Cody White had a TERRIBLE drop on what should be for any NFL WR, an easy catch. Not sure he will get to see another opportunity after that drop, but I hope so. I'm not even sure White saw the field after that drop. I believe Ray Ray played the rest of the snaps.

Not sure the problem is JuJu. I believe it's the way they continually use JuJu instead.

[LakecrestSteeler]

I was one who wanted JuJu gone in the offseason, I still do. I don't want to wish injury on anybody but if he were gone for the season? This offense would be better.

JuJu out and what happens? We suddenly had Chase lining up in the slot and getting big splash plays out of the slot. That used to happen with JuJu his first two years out of that slot position.

If JuJu were out for a large amount of time, you would see Chase being able to get more snaps out of the slot and get better AND better AND better.

Diontae is a complete WR, he can catch short, intermediate and deep passes, a 45 and 50 yard TDs the past two weeks. Chase Claypool can also be that complete WR instead of being pigeonholed as a deep threat.

JuJu out and guess what, Claypool is able to thrive, able to line up in different ways, the TEs are now seemingly rediscovered. This is not a coincidence, Ben was USING JuJu as a glorified TE, using him as his Heath Miller security blanket. Many want to proclaim their love and admiration for JuJu as this tough slot WR, but all I have seen the past 3 years is a player that is neither fish nor fowl. Not good enough as a real TE or as a real slot WR.

While I don''t disagree overall, JuJu has basically been forced to become another TE, except he's reliable unlike Ebron. It doesn't have to be this way. JuJu isn't fast but we've all seen him make plays downfield before. He's been great in the past on intermediate routes. It's only been the last 2 years that he doesn't seem allowed to run a route more than 6 or 7 yards away from the line of scrimmage.

Another problem we have with JuJu out is depth. The Steelers are no longer loaded with talent at WR. James Washington is hurt and Cody White had a TERRIBLE drop on what should be for any NFL WR, an easy catch. Not sure he will get to see another opportunity after that drop, but I hope so. I'm not even sure White saw the field after that drop. I believe Ray Ray played the rest of the snaps.

Not sure the problem is JuJu. I believe it's the way they continually use JuJu instead.

Have to agree with this. I think you are both right. JuJu is not fish nor fowl…and they have not used him properly. This is one of the biggest problems on offense; failure to use the skillsets of the available players, and scheme them open accordingly.

I thought DJ being out that week would help Claypool. Chase had a decent game but then gets hurt for a week and then JuJu goes down and he explodes. Might have nothing to do with DJ or JuJu, it might just have to do with using Claypool more and out of different spots. Canada schemed Claypool open by dumb injury luck is all that seems to have happened…when several on this board have been screaming to use Chase differently and more.

If you can’t find a way to use the JuJu, with excellent hands, decent speed, and the guy that TKOed Burfict; it is not the player; it is the lack of imagination by the OC that needs to be put on IR. Necessity has born more than its fair share of imaginative solutions….there is hope that this unlocks things on the offense.

[Steeler Owl]

I like Juju but whether you do or not the man knocked out Burfict. Whatever happens in the future that delicious killshot makes Juju Steeler fot Life in my book.

[Scunge]

LakecrestSteeler, see I disagree it is a matter of using JuJu properly, I think they, like with Ben, are using JuJu at his current declining physical state.

The player that had 4.50 speed, JuJu said he had tested faster after his combine time of 4.54, the JuJu that had those 6-7? pass plays over 60+ yards, that was 2017-2018, that is a long time ago. Since then he has had multiple nagging injuries and he looks way slower. I don't see that quickness or speed any longer.

I had joked last year that he had turned into a 34 year old Hines Ward, trying to be a physical possession WR who catches short passes. For a player so much younger, he certainly is NOT a Hines Ward, can't withstand the punishment of playing that way.

And that dynamic playmaker that he was those first two years?? Gone. Those first two years he had an elusive aspect in running with the football, he was looking to run by and away from people. Now? The past 3 years he wraps both hands around the football and prepares to absorb contact instead of making a move, a stiff arm, using his quickness to evade tacklers.

I was a big fan in the predraft process, wanted the Steelers to draft either him or Chris Godwin. Sometimes a player flashes early and then fades quickly. I feel that is happening with JuJu.

You look at last year, he averaged 8.6 yards a catch and now this season is averaging the same 8.6 yards a catch.

The way I envision this offense is both DJ and Claypool can be moved around and line up anywhere and do a lot of heavy damage lined up in JuJu's slot WR position.

It may not seem like it now, but JuJu being out this year if it comes to that, will be a godsend to the development of Claypool, Johnson and Pat Freiermuth. Freiermuth should be targeted way more than he has been but Ben and the offense has been limiting his targets because of JuJu being used in a quasi-TE type of role.

Would this offense be better with a real TE, a 6'5" 250 pound TE with a greater catch radius and more weight on his frame to withstand the punishment? Or a smaller player, who is only 215 pounds?

Would this offense be better with DJ and Claypool lining up more inside and getting lopsided mismatches and being able to get splash plays? JuJu does not have Claypool's size and speed and he doesn't have the elusiveness and ankle breaking ability of DJ.

In the offseason I really questioned how JuJu even had a role in a Canada offense. It seemed like his skill set didn't really fit and there were better options able to provide big plays in that slot role.

[drmalba]

If you can’t find a way to use the JuJu, with excellent hands, decent speed, and the guy that TKOed Burfict; it is not the player; it is the lack of imagination by the OC that needs to be put on IR. Necessity has born more than its fair share of imaginative solutions….there is hope that this unlocks things on the offense.

This, all day long.

I will concede that Juju staying on a one year deal might have hampered James Washington's development/contentment, and given how the season unfolded, that money might have been better spent elsewhere. Long-term perspective vs. near-term. These are the only arguments to be had about Juju being on our team, IMO, and they are hindsight analysis-type observations.

Last year Juju put up 97 receptions and 9 TDs with the highest catch percentage of all our WR corps by far. Losing a guy like that does not make you "better." In that same season BTW, Claypool put up OROY type numbers at his position, so I dont buy the positional argument one bit. Step up your fucking offensive game plan, Matt Canada, you have not even achieved the "Rust Belt" in this offensive dojo.

As far as Juju not being a Steeler? I've been a lifelong Steeler fan and he has nothing to prove to me. Dude was as much of a Steeler as any receiver who's ever put on the Black and Gold. Period. And if/when he does move on, you're going to see that Steeler DNA in his game elsewhere.

[Ice]

If you can’t find a way to use the JuJu, with excellent hands, decent speed, and the guy that TKOed Burfict; it is not the player; it is the lack of imagination by the OC that needs to be put on IR. Necessity has born more than its fair share of imaginative solutions….there is hope that this unlocks things on the offense.

This, all day long.

I will concede that Juju staying on a one year deal might have hampered James Washington's development/contentment, and given how the season unfolded, that money might have been better spent elsewhere. Long-term perspective vs. near-term. These are the only arguments to be had about Juju being on our team, IMO, and they are hindsight analysis-type observations.

Last year Juju put up 97 receptions and 9 TDs with the highest catch percentage of all our WR corps by far. Losing a guy like that does not make you "better." In that same season BTW, Claypool put up OROY type numbers at his position, so I dont buy the positional argument one bit. Step up your fucking offensive game plan, Matt Canada, you have not even achieved the "Rust Belt" in this offensive dojo.

As far as Juju not being a Steeler? I've been a lifelong Steeler fan and he has nothing to prove to me. Dude was as much of a Steeler as any receiver who's ever put on the Black and Gold. Period. And if/when he does move on, you're going to see that Steeler DNA in his game elsewhere.

This x1000. Doc, please post more often.

[Stallworth16]

I’ve always been a fan of Juju’s on field abilities. I hate to see him get hurt on a stupid play call. A two yard running play. Juju is extremely effective when you give him mid range crossing routes and slants where he can get a head of steam. He’s like a mini tight end when you use correctly. Stupid play calls are a sad way to get injured.

[Roeth2Rudolph]

I like Juju but whether you do or not the man knocked out Burfict. Whatever happens in the future that delicious killshot makes Juju Steeler fot Life in my book.

This elevated him to legendary status in my mind, Plus, I really like his name.

[blu]

LakecrestSteeler, see I disagree it is a matter of using JuJu properly, I think they, like with Ben, are using JuJu at his current declining physical state.

The player that had 4.50 speed, JuJu said he had tested faster after his combine time of 4.54, the JuJu that had those 6-7? pass plays over 60+ yards, that was 2017-2018, that is a long time ago. Since then he has had multiple nagging injuries and he looks way slower. I don't see that quickness or speed any longer.

I had joked last year that he had turned into a 34 year old Hines Ward, trying to be a physical possession WR who catches short passes. For a player so much younger, he certainly is NOT a Hines Ward, can't withstand the punishment of playing that way.

And that dynamic playmaker that he was those first two years?? Gone. Those first two years he had an elusive aspect in running with the football, he was looking to run by and away from people. Now? The past 3 years he wraps both hands around the football and prepares to absorb contact instead of making a move, a stiff arm, using his quickness to evade tacklers.

I was a big fan in the predraft process, wanted the Steelers to draft either him or Chris Godwin. Sometimes a player flashes early and then fades quickly. I feel that is happening with JuJu.

You look at last year, he averaged 8.6 yards a catch and now this season is averaging the same 8.6 yards a catch.

The way I envision this offense is both DJ and Claypool can be moved around and line up anywhere and do a lot of heavy damage lined up in JuJu's slot WR position.

It may not seem like it now, but JuJu being out this year if it comes to that, will be a godsend to the development of Claypool, Johnson and Pat Freiermuth. Freiermuth should be targeted way more than he has been but Ben and the offense has been limiting his targets because of JuJu being used in a quasi-TE type of role.

Would this offense be better with a real TE, a 6'5" 250 pound TE with a greater catch radius and more weight on his frame to withstand the punishment? Or a smaller player, who is only 215 pounds?

Would this offense be better with DJ and Claypool lining up more inside and getting lopsided mismatches and being able to get splash plays? JuJu does not have Claypool's size and speed and he doesn't have the elusiveness and ankle breaking ability of DJ.

In the offseason I really questioned how JuJu even had a role in a Canada offense. It seemed like his skill set didn't really fit and there were better options able to provide big plays in that slot role.

I really like reading Scunge's posts. With DJ & Claypool needing to get paid in time & James Washington coming cheaply if he stays, is there even a place for a not as tough Hines Ward clone on the Steelers? Hines Ward always seemed to catch the ball & punished the defenders for even coming near him. Now with DJ not dropping the ball so readily & Claypool better schemed for his talents, I don't want JuJu back. The Steelers have always been able to draft wr's & as Scunge stated above so well - someone playing like a TE should be built like a TE.

[rooneytunes]

My fantasy football team name is "Mr. Juju Risin'"

Will keep it the rest of the year I guess.

[COR-TEN]

If you can’t find a way to use the JuJu, with excellent hands, decent speed, and the guy that TKOed Burfict; it is not the player; it is the lack of imagination by the OC that needs to be put on IR. Necessity has born more than its fair share of imaginative solutions….there is hope that this unlocks things on the offense.

This, all day long.

I will concede that Juju staying on a one year deal might have hampered James Washington's development/contentment, and given how the season unfolded, that money might have been better spent elsewhere. Long-term perspective vs. near-term. These are the only arguments to be had about Juju being on our team, IMO, and they are hindsight analysis-type observations.

Last year Juju put up 97 receptions and 9 TDs with the highest catch percentage of all our WR corps by far. Losing a guy like that does not make you "better." In that same season BTW, Claypool put up OROY type numbers at his position, so I dont buy the positional argument one bit. Step up your fucking offensive game plan, Matt Canada, you have not even achieved the "Rust Belt" in this offensive dojo.

As far as Juju not being a Steeler? I've been a lifelong Steeler fan and he has nothing to prove to me. Dude was as much of a Steeler as any receiver who's ever put on the Black and Gold. Period. And if/when he does move on, you're going to see that Steeler DNA in his game elsewhere.

This x1000. Doc, please post more often.

I'll jump on that wagon. Excellent post, Dr.

[Pabst]

There was a play in the early 2nd q that stood out to me - on 3rd and 13, Juju is open near the sticks, but Ben just airmails the pass. This is (at least) the 4th time in the last few games that Ben has just straight up misfired when Juju has been open.

My question is this: Are we even having this conversation if Ben hits these passes?