FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Patriots had just wrapped up their 2022 regular season and Jakobi Meyers was standing in the middle of the visitor’s locker room inside Highmark Stadium.
Following a disappointing year, the wide receiver was asked if he wanted to return to the Patriots in 2023. Meyers, who led the Patriots in receiving for the third-straight season, didn’t hesitate.
“Oh yeah. Definitely, definitely,” Meyers said on Jan. 8. “I’ve put a lot of time in here. I’ve built a nice home here. So, it’d be nice.”
Fast forward to two months later, and the Patriots opted to sign free-agent receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to a three-year, $25.5 million contract with $16 million guaranteed money. The contract was similar to the one Meyers signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, which was also a three-year pact but included $10.5 million in guarantees.
This happened after the Patriots and Meyers engaged in contract discussions. Ultimately, Meyers had a better offer from the Raiders, and then the Patriots gave a better offer to Smith-Schuster.
When the Patriots deal with Smith-Schuster was announced, Meyers didn’t hide his disappointment, tweeting, “Cold world.”
After leading the franchise in receiving yards from 2020 to 2023, the Patriots didn’t prioritize Meyers enough this offseason. The team thought it was upgrading its depth chart by moving on from a player who was beloved inside the locker room to a veteran who had better statistics in other offensive systems.
That decision today looks like a disaster.
In five games, Smith-Schuster has 14 receptions for 86 yards and zero touchdowns. He enters this matchup with the Raiders ranked 140th in the NFL in receiving yards. In four games, Meyers has 25 receptions for 274 yards and three touchdowns. He ranks 33rd in the NFL in receiving yards.
On Wednesday, when asked why the Patriots didn’t re-sign Jakobi Meyers, Bill Belichick replied, “He was a free agent. He signed with the Raiders. There’s a lot of guys that change teams in free agency.”
Why wasn’t Meyers more of a priority?
“He was a priority,” Belichick said. “We talked to him.”
Did the Patriots ever feel like they were close to re-signing the receiver?
“Relatively, yeah,” Belichick said. “But free agency is free agency.”
The loss of Meyers has had negative ramifications for the Patriots’ offense and it’s fair to question why the Patriots didn’t offer the receiver more money than the Raiders. An undrafted free agent in 2019, Meyers quickly showed he was more talented than the Patriots’ first-round pick that season, N’Keal Harry. Although Meyers doesn’t have elite speed, he made up for it with outstanding route running, great hands, and a phenomenal work ethic.
When Julian Edelman was lost for the season in 2020, it was Meyers who stepped up to lead the Patriots with 729 yards. The next year, Mac Jones’ first, Meyers was again the go-to receiver with 866 yards. Last year, after missing three games, Meyers finished with 804 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Meyers did that from the ever-important slot receiver position.
Along with leading the Patriots in receiving, Meyers led the team in third-down production. In 2022, Meyers finished tied for 16th in the NFL with 22 receptions on third down. He was tied for 14th with 330 receiving yards on third down.
That’s an area where the Patriots haven’t been able to replace Meyers.
Entering this week, the Patriots’ leading receiver on third down is their fourth receiver, Demario Douglas, who is tied for 50th in the NFL with five receptions for 87 yards.
This season, Patriots quarterbacks have targeted Smith-Schuster seven times on third downs. Smith-Schuster has two catches on those seven targets for 29 yards. When asked about Smith-Schuster’s lack of production, Belichick replied, “We haven’t been very productive offensively. I’d be hard-pressed to single out one guy.”
With Meyers, the Patriots not only knew what they were getting on the field but off it. Last season, he earned the team’s Ed Block Courage Award, which goes to a player who best exemplifies “courage and sportsmanship while also serving as a symbol of professionalism and dedication.”
At a time where the Patriots’ offense desperately needs help, the loss of Meyers looks worse as the team prepares to face him and the Raiders on Sunday.
“Jakobi is an awesome, awesome guy,” said Patriots defensive play caller Steve Belichick. “We connected early on in his career when he came here as an undrafted guy. He worked very, very hard to get where he is. I’m very happy for him – went and got paid and earned the money that he got. So, I’m excited to see Jakobi… I’ve got a lot of respect for Jakobi. He’s done a lot of things you don’t see a lot of receivers do.”
“He’s a great player,” added safeties coach Brian Belichick. “We’ve seen a lot of him over the years here. Certainly, a thing you remember about Jakobi is him creating separation at the top of the route and being a great savvy and instinctive football player.”
Sounds like someone the Patriots offense could use right about now.
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