Tender Feelings: Patriots WR Poised To Cash In On Productive Career

Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers is counting on being among the key contributors to the Pats offense in 2022.

FOXBORO - The New England Patriots corps of wide receivers will be among the most watched, and potentially most scrutinized areas of the roster heading into the upcoming NFL season.

As he enters his fourth year, wideout Jakobi Meyers appears set to continue on as a significant part of the Pats’ positional grouping for 2022 — and New England is exactly where he wants to be.

“Who wouldn’t, honestly?” Meyers told reporters of his desire to remain a Patriot via video conference on Thursday. “It’s a great place to be. The guys in the locker room…It’s just been great to be around those guys. It’s a great city to be in. I’m happy here. God blessed me with that opportunity, and how could you not jump at it?”

On the surface, the argument for keeping Meyers in New England is one which is mutually beneficial for both parties. The North Carolina State product was arguably the Patriots most reliable pass catcher in 2021, finishing the season with two touchdowns, but leading the team in both receptions (89) and yards (906), including the playoffs. Meyers also logged a nine-yard carry and completed two passes for a combined 45 yards. The former college quarterback is now 4-for-4 as a passer for 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Following the conclusion of the 2021 season, Meyers expressed his desire to “definitely” stay with the Patriots and continue working with quarterback Mac Jones. In fact, Meyers was among a quintet of Patriots pass catchers who joined Jones in Tampa, Florida for informal throwing sessions. Per reports, he has placed a sharp focus on his strength and conditioning, adding additional muscle bulk and raising his weight.

Therefore, it came as somewhat of a surprise that Meyers was limited in his participation during Patriots mandatory minicamp — failing to partake in team drills in either of the Pats’ practices.

However, Meyers was quick to defuse any questions surrounding his health being the reason for such limitations. On Thursday, he advised reporters that he is simply nursing some “normal bumps and bruises,” while following the coaches’ practice plan.

“Just normal things, honestly,” Meyers said. “The coaches had a game plan laid out. Those are some very big coaches that were talking to me, and you’ve just kind of got to trust them, they pretty much know best. They’ve been around the game for a long time. So I put my faith in what they had laid out for me and just followed the plan.”

The Patriots clearly have a plan in mind for utilizing Meyers in the upcoming season. placed a second-round tender on him, just prior to the start of the league year on March 16. Though other teams still had the chance to pursue him, New England’s placement of the tender ensured Meyers would not leave Foxboro without compensation. If another club were to sign him to an offer sheet, the Patriots would have received a second-round draft pick — assuming they decided not to match it.

As a result, Meyers remains a Patriot. As a result, he is slated to receive $3.986 million in pay for this upcoming season, assuming he plays on the one-year tender. In doing so, the 25-year-old will earn double the amount of the three-year, $1.75 million contract he signed as an undrafted rookie in 2019, per Patriots’ salary cap expert, Miguel Benzan.

According to league guidelines, Meyers has until June 15 to sign the tender. Otherwise, the Patriots may lower his salary. Benzan noted that none of Meyers’ $3.986M salary is guaranteed.

In the aftermath of their trade with the Miami Dolphins to acquire DeVante Parker, New England is currently nine players deep at the position. Parker, as well as fellow offseason acquisition Ty Montgomery, joins Meyers, along with incumbents N’Keal Harry, Kendrick Bourne, Kristian Wilkerson, Malcolm Perry and minicamp standout Tre Nixon on the depth chart. The team also drafted rookie wideout Tyquan Thornton of Baylor in the second round.

Despite facing notable competition at the position, Meyers remains singular in his focus. Putting his contractual concerns aside for the moment, he realizes that the best way for him to make his case to say in New England is to perform well on the field.

“At this time, I can only control what I can control,” Meyers said. “That’s just the effort I put on the field, how hard I work, and that’s really just what I’ve been trying to focus on now.”