The New England Patriots are expected to roll the dice when it comes to Jakobi Meyers and let the talented wide receiver test his value in 2023 NFL free agency.
The receiver market this offseason isn’t overflowing with elite talents, however, there are a couple of players with major upside who seem ready for a breakout season in the right scheme. One of those talents is New England Patriots veteran Jakobi Meyers.
The 26-year-old finished out his rookie contract in 2022 and is set to be a free agent starting on March 13. Despite the absolute mess that the Patriots’ offense was last season under former coordinator Matt Patricia, Meyers still posted solid numbers and many NFL evaluators view him as the best wideout in NFL free agency.
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This would seem like a good reason for the New England Patriots to make sure Meyers is playing at Gillette Stadium this fall, however, after ESPN reported over the weekend that the sides are far apart on contract talks, that may be unlikely now. On Tuesday, multiple outlets reported that the team has scrapped plans to get a long-term deal done with Jakobi Meyers and they have no intention of using their lone franchise tag on the four-year veteran.
On Monday, NFL Network insider Mike Girardi revealed that the organization is still hoping that Meyers’ representatives allow them one last chance to sign him once he takes a tour of the market.
- Jakobi Meyers stats (2022): 67 receptions, 804 yards, 6 TD, 57.4 YPG
Jakobi Meyers is not expected to get anywhere near the higher end of annual rates for wide receivers in free agency (over $15 million) after never posting over 1,000 yards receiving in his first four seasons. However, a contract in the $12 million to $14 million range is very possible after salary cap increases heading into the 2023 offseason.
Meyers went undrafted in 2019 after a standout collegiate career at North Carolina State.