The Patriots released veteran receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Friday, taking a $9.6 million dead cap hit in the process to cut ties with a struggling player.

Smith-Schuster never performed to expectations in New England. He signed a 3-year $25.5 million contract in March 2023, then caught 29 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown last season as the team’s highest-paid receiver. Smith-Schuster dealt with a nagging knee injury that sapped his explosion both while running routes and gaining yards after the catch.

He told reporters in the spring that he was back to 100% health, but never sustained his old form during OTAs, minicamp or training camp. Jerod Mayo explained the team’s decision to release him Sunday, saying: “Yeah, it was a decision between (executive vice president of player personnel) Eliot (Wolf) and myself, really to give the younger guys an opportunity to go out there and get more reps and show what they can do.”

Mayo said the team wants Smith-Schuster, 27, to “get healthy,” and wished him all the best. The former Steeler and Chief had been running with backup units for most of training camp.

Second-year wideout Kayshon Boutte said he was surprised to hear of Smith-Schuster’s release. “(I was) just shook. He’s a cool dude, loving person, and we got close to him. It sucked that he got released.”

Before his release, Smith-Schuster was competing with several young wideouts on the roster: Boutte, rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, Tyquan Thornton and DeMario Douglas, plus veterans K.J. Osborn and Jalen Reagor. Kendrick Bourne also remains on the team’s Physically Unable to Perform list.

Mayo and Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf are expected to prioritize playing time for their youngest players in Year 1 of the team’s ongoing rebuild.