This offseason, the Raiders, and Josh McDaniels are once again scouring familiar avenues for free agents.
Jakobi Meyers, formerly of New England, will sign a three-year, $33 million contract with $21 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday, per a sportda source.
Meyers is set to earn $11 million in 2023, per NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, and his contract includes a $5.5 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2024 league year that is guaranteed for skill and injury at signing.
It is the second former Patriots player coached by McDaniels to join the Raiders, following quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s signing on Monday. Meyers and Garoppolo never played together in New England, but both saw their careers flourish under McDaniels’ play calling.
The undrafted Meyers settled in with the Patriots (when Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler was in charge of personnel) and has developed into one of the league’s premier slot receivers. In 2021, he recorded career-highs in receptions (83) and receiving yards (833), and in 2022, he scored six touchdowns.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder was also a part of one of the most peculiar plays in recent NFL history when Meyers’ reversed lateral at the conclusion of Week 15’s Patriots-Raiders game led to a walk-off touchdown return by Chandler Jones. Evidently, neither McDaniels nor the Raiders were deterred.
However, this prompts concerns about how the Raiders intend to utilise their receivers. Davante Adams will start at one of the outside receiver positions, and Meyers is expected to see frequent action. Is Hunter Renfrow’s role, who is predominantly a slot receiver, assured? There is also the issue of whether the signing of Meyers precludes the return of competent backup quarterback Mack Hollins to Las Vegas.
In contrast, the Patriots are losing their top receiver from each of the previous three seasons. The Patriots still have DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, Kendrick Bourne, Lynn Bowden Jr., and Tre Nixon on their roster as wide receiver options. Nelson Agholor is currently unsigned.
