Wide receiver was arguably one of, if not the top position of need for the New England Patriots headed into free agency and the 2023 league year. After Tuesday morning’s news, you can remove any disclaimers or caveats because the Pats just lost their top receiver, and to an old friend, no less.
According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, the top free agent receiver this offseason, has agreed to leave the Patriots for a three-year, $33 million deal with Josh McDaniels and the Las Vegas Raiders. Meyers reunites with his former offensive coordinator, though ironically it’s the site of his worst professional play (no need for anyone to revisit “The Lost Vegas Lateral” again visually, you’ll never forget it).
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Meyers was the top receiver in what was viewed as a weak class of free agent weapons. Many viewed his market as somewhere in the $12 million per season range, though as recently as this past Sunday, ESPN’s Mike Reiss posted the market could, according to league rumors, have gone to as much as $15 million per season.
Turns out he took less than that to catch passes from Jimmy Garoppolo alongside receivers Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow, tight end Darren Waller and running back Josh Jacobs on what should be a loaded and dynamic Raiders offense. The pressure of taking top dollar to be a number one receiver, which Meyers isn’t, doesn’t follow him to Vegas. Just questions on if Meyers felt he wasn’t wanted in New England, or if he flat-out didn’t want to be here, or thought the Raiders would be a better fit. Seems it’s a combination of all three per his Tuesday morning conversation with CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson.
Wow. More impressed with their offense. Felt the Raiders wanted him more. That’s gotta sting for the Foxboro Faithful.
The departure of Meyers, the Patriots’ leading receiver the past two seasons, isn’t the surprise; the amount he left for is. Many in the league, region and fanbase would have thought a three-year, $33 million deal would have been what Meyers took to stay in New England, not depart. That price tag is the shocking element to this transaction.
Since cracking the starting lineup in 2020 due to injury (Meyers credited then QB Cam Newton with saving his career), Meyers has been a steady presence in the Patriots offense, quickly becoming the top target for QB Mac Jones, with whom he showed immediate chemistry. Meyers may not be the fastest receiver on many or any fields, but he’s sure-handed and dependable, a valued third-down target who will only enhance the Raiders passing attack. He’s also looked upon as a high character man and positive locker room presence.
New England seemed to prioritize their in-house free agents first during the legal tampering period of free agency 2023, retaining cornerback Jonathan Jones, linebacker Raekwon McMillan and defensive lineman Carl Davis. Most thought Meyers would have been at the top of that list. Instead he joins the growing list of undrafted free agents who came from seemingly nowhere (Meyers was an UDFA WR out of NC State in the 2019 draft) who shined in New England and then cashed in elsewhere.
A disappointing end to what was a pleasant surprise of a start to a career and time in New England for Meyers.
Wide receiver now becomes a position of greater need for the Pats this offseason as they only have DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton, Tre Nixon and Lynn Bowden Jr. on the roster.