Jakobi Meyers is living the NFL American dream. He’s skyrocketed from undrafted free agent to verge of very desirable free agent. He’s going to get paid this offseason.
The Patriots should be the team signing his big fat check.
Meyers’ overall numbers slipped slightly after a career season in 2021, but he missed three games for a knee strain and concussion.
Then there was the end of the Raiders game in December – a split second decision to lateral a pass from Rhamondre Stevenson back to Mac Jones, only to be picked off by Chandler Jones for the season’s most devastating loss.
But where would any of us be if we were all judged by poor choices we made in Vegas?
Meyers’ full accountability after that loss, his return to his own standard, and his unwavering loyalty to his locker room illustrate just a few reasons he’s worth the big bucks. And Meyers is in a shallow class, flanked in ability and availability by just the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Allen Lazard.
Above all, he’s defined dependability. He’s been a port in an offensive hurricane. He doesn’t have the size of DeVante Parker or the ability to create yards after catch like Kendrick Bourne, but he has trustworthy hands and sound rhythm with quarterbacks. He doesn’t hem or haw for targets or touchdowns. And when he gets in the endzone, he’ll tip-toe his way to six.
He’s dependable in his health as well. Through his four seasons with the Patriots, he’s never played fewer than 14 games.
And despite that awful decision in the desert, he’s only fumbled twice in his professional career.
He’s also proven he can hang in New England, where the culture doesn’t click with every skill player. He can adjust to different systems and find productivity through changing playbooks. Whether he’s catching passes from Cam Newton or Mac Jones he’s…catching passes.
So, after receiving just shy of $4 million from New England last year, Meyers is primed to make some serious dough. He’s only 26 and entering a market place with a low supply of high-end receiver talent. Number crunchers like Over the Cap and Spotrac predict he could sign a contract with a yearly salary in the ballpark of $8.2 to $12.5 million.
That may sound steep for a guy who fans don’t see in the endzone that often, but that’s a free agency number. That’s where guys get the highest dollar.
Meyers has voiced his humble desire to remain a Patriot as recently as last Sunday, when he spoke with reporters following the Patriots’ Week 18 loss to the Bills.
Would he take a hometown discount? He’s had a fully amenable nature since his first summer in Foxboro. The Patriots might let him explore free agency to see what numbers are out there, the way they did with other strong character guys like Devin McCourty.
With available cap space north of $40 million in 2023, they shouldn’t balk if his price tag comes back with eight figures attached.
