According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, free agent wide receiver Jakobi Meyers intends to sign a three-year deal with Las Vegas that will reunite him with Josh McDaniels, his offensive coordinator for the first three years of his career.
Meyers broke into the league as an undrafted rookie in 2019, where his consistency and continuous improvement earned him early accolades during his first training camp. He'd be active for 15 games as a rookie, grabbing 26 receptions from Tom Brady during Brady's final year with the Pats.
Meyers continued to ascend in 2020 with Cam Newton under center, improving to 59 catches while also throwing two touchdowns. That production again grew in his third season with his third different starting quarterback, Mac Jones. Meyers' 83 catches that year led the team, while he also finally picked up his first two receiving touchdowns at long last. It was a breakout year for the receiver, however 2022 was a challenging injury year for Meyers, as he missed three games but battled through bumps and bruises all season long while playing under a second-round RFA tender. He still picked up 67 catches and posted six touchdowns as he fought through those injuries.
Meyers was one of those special receivers that don't happen very often, an undrafted player who surpasses even a first-round pick at his position selected in the same year. He produced no matter which quarterback was throwing him the ball, from the greatest of all time to a rookie. It's little surprise that Josh McDaniels made the effort to reunite with Meyers, his reliability and locker room presence alone ensure that the Raiders are getting a player that will positively impact their team on and off the field.
For the Patriots, it leaves a major hole in their receiver room but his departure isn't entirely shocking. Meyers was a security blanket for Mac Jones and had a knack for coming up with tough catches in critical moments, they'll need to find a way to replace that important production. With potential outside threats like DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton, New England should put a renewed focus on the middle of the field and provide Mac with a similar option capable of quickly getting open and coming down with the ball.
There are a number of intriguing options in that regard, especially in the draft like personal favorites Zay Flowers, Josh Downs and Jayden Reed, while a lackluster free agency group that was headlined by Meyers offers some veteran flier options like Parris Campbell or Jamison Crowder but little in the way of clear upgrade.
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