Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster is healthy and ready to compete for playing time.

The wide receiver position for the Patriots has been much maligned in recent years. Despite a concerted effort the last five years to upgrade the position, the production has not been there. The receiver room as a whole has been underwhelming. 

The Patriots addressed the position once again this off-season by re-signing Kendrick Bourne, signing K.J Osborn and drafting Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. 

The quartet joins Pop Douglas, Ju-Ju Smith Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Reagor, T.J Luther, Kawaan Baker and Kayshon Boutte. There are currently 11 receivers on the Patriots roster which creates some much needed competition according to Patriots coach Jerod Mayo.

“It’s a wide-open competition. We have some young bulls, we have some older players. We have guys who are really unproven. So, this is an opportunity for them to really get a leg up going forward, especially when you don’t have a guy like [Kendrick] Bourne out here during the spring. Guys will have opportunities.”

Speaking of Bourne, he did not participate today and the expectation is he will probably be out for the spring. Mayo confirmed that today. 

“Honestly, it’s a week-by-week type of thing. We hope to get him out here, but he won’t be out here during the spring, I can tell you that. So, we’ll see going forward. That’s more information than you normally would get, right?” 

While Bourne might be out for the spring, Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster is looking to bounce back after a difficult first season in New England. By his own admission, he was only 60 percent at this time last year. He says he is now 100 percent and ready to compete. 

“I feel great, honestly. Never felt better. I am just excited to be out here.” Smith-Schuster added that he excited by what he has seen from the other receivers. “I am very encouraged. I am very excited by what I have seen from our room. We have a lot of guys that can play every position. For us it is just coming out here and executing.” 

Mayo is pleased what he has seen from Smith-Schuster but stresses that it is too early to evaluate his performance. 

“Yeah, the room is definitely crowded. He looks good. He’s moving around well. We’ll see today when they’re actually going against someone else, but he looks good and it is a question for the end of the spring, honestly.”

The truth is, it is probably too early to evaluate this group as a whole. We will have a better sense of where they are at the end of mini camp and after the first week of training camp. 

Until then, all of the receivers will have to take advantage of their opportunity to compete and make an early impression. It is important for an offense that desperately needs to make more big plays this season.