3 players the Patriots should bench vs. Saints after week 4 embarrassment

JuJu Smith-Schuster

This may be a bit controversial, given the current state of the offense, but JuJu Smith-Schuster has yet to make an impact since arriving in New England.

His signing from the beginning was questioned for multiple reasons, his knee injury for starters, and also because Bill Belichick chose to let Jakobi Meyers walk in free agency and instead sign Smith-Schuster. Because Meyers had developed a rapport with Mac Jones over the last two seasons and had proven to be the most consistent receiver on the team, the decision by the head coach didn't make much sense.

And unfortunately, several months later, it's still just as confusing considering how their seasons have progressed so far.

Meyers has been having a great start to his career with the Raiders, recording 18 receptions for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He missed one game due to a concussion but is well on his way to possibly having the best year of his NFL career.

Over in New England, Smith-Schuster has had a slow start, recording 11 receptions for 80 yards. Although some of that can be attributed to the offense's overall struggles, there's a disconnect between Jones and the receiver, resulting in dropped passes and little involvement in the game plan.

Because he hasn't been a difference-maker through four weeks, it wouldn't be surprising to see Smith-Schuster used even less against the Saints. Maybe not benched necessarily, but other pass catchers have had more success this season and should be prioritized when on the field.