As of right now, Jakobi Meyers is expected to be a big part of the Patriots’ plans on offense after setting another career-high in receiving yards (866) last year.
Beyond that, little is certain.
Meyers, who is set to play under a second-round tender worth $3.986 million in 2022, has not yet signed said tender, though he was at voluntary OTAs and minicamp (limited participation). He has until June 15 to sign the one-year tender, or the Patriots can lower his salary to $935,000.
In his words, he’s “bad at multitasking,” saying he’s just trying to focus on football and let his agent and the front office resolve contract issues.
In particular, Meyers is yet another Patriot looking for a contract extension. He said as much to reporters on Thursday.
“Who wouldn’t, honestly?” Meyers said. “It's a great place to be. The guys in the locker room — I’ve learned more about being a man just from them than probably my whole life. It’s just been great to be around those guys. It’s a great city to be in. I’m happy here.”
A few things are working against a possible long-term deal for Meyers, though.
For one, there’s the recent receiver market. Meyers won’t command monstrous money, and no one will likely pay him the wild dollars the Jaguars threw at fellow slot receiver Christian Kirk this past off-season. But there could still be a good deal out there for a guy who has now topped 700 yards in consecutive seasons and was one of the top third-down converters in football last year. Kendrick Bourne signed in New England for three years and $15 million with half of that money guaranteed, so one could see Meyers getting something like that or even a touch more if teams aren't turned off by his lack of touchdowns.
Then, there's the depth in the receiver room.
Bourne was a pleasant surprise in 2021 and adds more from an explosive-play standpoint than Meyers. If he had to pick between Bourne and Meyers, who both have similar athletic profiles, there’s a strong argument to keep Bourne. Tyquan Thornton is a second-round pick, and the Patriots will almost certainly have big plans for him in 2023. It’s too early to say if Tre Nixon will amount to anything substantive, but his apparent jump from Year 1 to Year 2 might necessitate a longer look. DeVante Parker is also under contract for next year, which could mean there are three receivers locked in for next season with Nixon as another possibility.
It's one thing to have Meyers on the team at the cheap $3.986 million tender. It's another to have him taking up even more cap space to essentially be a third receiver.
Tyquan Thornton is a second-round pick and has played well so far in spring camp. Whatever he does this season, the Patriots will almost certainly have big plans for him in 2023, which could mean a diminished role for Meyers. It’s too early to say if Tre Nixon will amount to anything substantive, but his apparent jump from Year 1 to Year 2 doesn’t help Meyers’ case.
Also, there’s Meyers’ draft status. While he deserves a ton of praise for working his way into a productive NFL receiver after going undrafted and switching positions, the Patriots have already shown they believe they can just do it again with another cheap option rather than paying up (see: J.C. Jackson).
That said, the Patriots will have space next year to take on an extension for Meyers, and he’ll be much more affordable to keep than Jackson was. If Meyers is willing to accept an offer that’s lower than what he’s likely to get somewhere else — that’s a big “if” — one could see him back with New England next season.
Barring a surprise trade, Meyers will be back in uniform and under contract when training camp begins. But unless the Patriots value Meyers more than we think, he might have to wait until next off-season to cash in. Whether that’s in New England or not will be an interesting question.
