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Jakobi Meyers’ reported value on free-agent market is likely bad news for Patriots
Meyers will be in line for a major pay day as the top receiver on the free-agent market.
With the official start of NFL free agency just days away, Jakobi Meyers is setting himself up for a hefty pay raise.
The 26-year-old wideout is arguably the most coveted receiver set to hit the open market, and his route-running talents and sure hands could price him out of the Patriots’ pay range.
Even though the Patriots ideally want to retain Meyers, given his steady track record next to Mac Jones, a report from ESPN’s Mike Reiss paints the picture of a player set to land a pricy contract in the coming days.
“According to an NFL executive source, one team that explored the potential market for Meyers believes it will need to be in the range of $15 million-plus per year to sign him,” Reiss wrote in a column published Sunday. “If that’s the way it unfolds (and projections don’t always come to reality), some around the NFL don’t see the Patriots retaining Meyers based on their history.”
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Reiss’ report comes days after NFL Network’s Mike Giardi tempered expectations for Meyers’ new deal, stating that the NC State product will command an annual salary hovering closer to $12-13 million.
The Patriots do have the fiscal flexibility to enter into a bidding war for Meyers’ services, with New England entering free agency with $26.7 million in effective cap space, according to OverTheCap.com.
But New England has multiple areas of the roster to address over the coming days, especially on the offensive line and in the secondary.
Not only does Jonathan Jones’ potential departure create a need for another cornerback, but New England must account for the void created by Devin McCourty’s retirement.
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The Patriots do value Meyers and the chemistry he’s cultivated on and off the field with Jones. Meyers caught a career-high 83 passes for 866 yards and two touchdowns in 2021. In 2022, he had 67 receptions for 804 yards and six touchdowns, although he missed three games due to injury.
But if another team is ready to open up the checkbook in order to add Meyers to their receiving corps, the Patriots might have to let the talented receiver walk.
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