Jakobi Meyers is an underappreciated number one.
Jakobi Meyers went from a "priority free agent" as predicted by Lance Zierlein of nfl.com in 2019 to what the Steelers Depot in predicted in 2019, improving to be come the New England Patriots number one starting receiver "in only a couple of years." And yet he's very much still underappreciated by fans and the media that covers the NFL.
In 2019 Meyers battled his way on to the Patriots. He had good chemistry in the preseason with then Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham. He would eventually play in 15 games for the Patriots where he was targeted 41 times as a rookie. He caught 26 passes for 359 yards, 17 of which were first downs. All from Tom Brady, a quarterback who prides himself on not wanting to work with unpolished players.
A year with the Cam Newton experience.
In 2020, Meyers was buried on the roster at the start of the season and would only play in 14 games, starting nine. He wouldn’t get utilized properly until Julian Edelman went down. Meyers would catch 59 of 81 targets for 729 yards, 35 for first downs. This while dealing with one of the worst passers that season in Cam Newton, who rushed for more touchdowns (12) then he threw (10).
A season with a rookie and top free agents.
In 2021 the Patriots went on a spending spree and signed Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. They also signed the top two tight ends. There was arguments over which of the two new receivers would be the number one receiver. Meyers was an after thought until the preseason, where he showed he could be the number one receiver.
In 2021 Jakobi Meyers caught 81 of 126 targets for 866 yards and 2 touchdowns, 42 of those for first downs. He played well enough that Player Profiler ranked him the 29th best receiver of 2021. This while dealing with a rookie quarterback who spent the 2021 off and preseason working with the number twos.
The 2022 off-season
Meyers became a free agent in 2022 and the Patriots slapped a second round tag on him. The Patriots signed DeVante Parker the 70th ranked receiver of 2021, who was instantly declared the Patriots number one. You read that right. The 70th ranked receiver was declared the number one over the 29th ranked receiver.
Then talk came around that the team could use the 33rd ranked receiver of 2021, Kendrick Bourne like Deebo Samuels and turn him into the number one. Meyers and Nelson Agholor (another under appreciated receiver) became expendable according to not only the media but the fans. Even more so after the Patriots drafted Tyquan Thornton in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft. A prospect that fans are still debating if it was a reach.
Meyers would eventually sign his free agent tender in June of 2021. And Adam Schefter tweeted not to long ago that two two sides were in talks for a contract extension. Which supposedly hasn't stopped and I would not doubt he gets between seven to eight million a year if he stays.
Check out the Tweet per Adam Schefter .
Projection heading in to the 2022 pre and regular season.
Meyers has been the go to guy or the security blanket for the past two seasons being targeted 21.23 percent of the Patriots attempts. There's nothing showing any other receiver has given Mac reason to change this. While he may not be the number one on any other team, just like Edelman before him, Meyers is the number one receiver for the Patriots.
And a quick message to my fellow fans. If 80 catches and 800 yards for an undrafted receiver is a bust, then your expectations are too high and you need to stop playing Madden. Meyers was 16th in receptions and 29th in receiving yards in 2021. I'd hate to know what kinda expectations y'all put on N'Keal Harry over his career but I bet Jerry Rice and Randy Moss in their prime could reach them. Appreciate what you have before it's gone.
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