The Giants plan to release the veteran wide receiver, in a corresponding move as the team signs running back Najee Harris.
Smith-Schuster had been with New York for just over two months, having signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal with no guaranteed money on June 2.
Roster Spot That Never Materialized
The writing had been on the wall for a while. Smith-Schuster was already listed as a fourth-string receiver on New York's depth chart behind Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, Darius Slayton, Odell Beckham Jr., and Braxton Berrios, and he didn't play in the team's first preseason game.
Giants officially signed RB Najee Harris and released WR JuJu Smith-Schuster.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 18, 2026
An "old knee," in head coach John Harbaugh's words, complicated matters further. Smith-Schuster missed practice time with knee swelling in early August, and per The Athletic's Dan Duggan, he wasn't gaining much traction in the receiver competition even before the injury flared up.
Rookie Malachi Fields, meanwhile, has been ascending, giving the Giants the size and blocking ability they wanted on the perimeter.
The Harris Connection
New York is adding Harris, a former 1,000-yard rusher who's been on the market since tearing his Achilles last season with the Chargers, to a backfield that already includes Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary.
Smith-Schuster and Harris share history, having played together with the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2021.
Smith-Schuster, 29, was a second-round pick by Pittsburgh in 2017 and set multiple NFL youth records early in his career, becoming the first player in league history to score five touchdowns before turning 21.
He won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and has caught 481 passes for 5,624 yards and 33 touchdowns across nine NFL seasons.
In the corresponding move for signing RB Najee Harris, the Giants are planning to release veteran WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, per sources. pic.twitter.com/fjuuUV2a2O
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 18, 2026
His production has cooled significantly in recent years, failing to top 400 receiving yards in a season since that 2022 Chiefs campaign. He posted 33 catches for 345 yards and a touchdown with Kansas City last season before signing with the Giants this summer.
The move saves New York $1.08 million in cap space with no dead money attached.
