FOXBORO, Mass. — When the New England Patriots signed Jakobi Meyers this spring, the North Carolina State product came with greater expectations than the rest of his undrafted class. The rookie wide receiver far exceeded those expectations during a highly impressive training camp.
Optimism ebbed after the Patriots’ third preseason game, however. Quarterback Tom Brady targeted Meyers three times in that contest, and the rookie wideout failed to haul in any of those passes. Meyers was excellent playing with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer during the preseason, but he failed to connect with Brady on his only opportunities.
Brady hasn’t had trouble hooking up with Meyers in two regular-season appearances, though. Meyers has three catches on four targets for 60 yards in two games. It looks like a modest statline, but it’s one that comes with promise.
“I can see he’s trusting me a little bit more every day and getting better with it every day,” Meyers said Thursday. “Just trying to work on it.”
Meyers, a former college quarterback, knows what it takes for a receiver to earn the trust of a signal-caller.
“The smartest player is always going to be the one that they trust,” Meyers said. “Being fast and strong gets you here, but if you want to stay on the field you have to be more than just an athlete. You have to be dependable and trustworthy. That just comes with being smart and knowing your job.”
Meyers caught 92 passes for 1,047 yards and four touchdowns in 2018 but went undrafted, in part, because he ran a 4.63-second 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine. Meyers knew he wasn’t going to set the Lucas Oil Stadium track ablaze since he never tested particularly well, but he takes pride in knowing he plays faster. He’ll carry that chip of going undrafted on his shoulder for the rest of his career.
“I just know I can be replaced at any second,” Meyers said. “I’m really dispensable. I can come in here, and my name will be gone, I have to turn in my ID. I just take that every day and it keeps pushing me. I know there’s first-rounders in my room that I’m sitting with who they have to pay a lot of money to. I gotta come and bring it every day.”
Meyers could take on a big role Sunday when the Patriots travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills. Julian Edelman suffered a chest injury in the Patriots’ Week 3 win over the New York Jets. He’s been limited in practice all week, and it likely will come down to pain management as to whether Edelman will play in Week 4.
If Edelman can’t suit up, or if he’s limited because of the injury, Meyers would step up as the Patriots’ No. 3 receiver.
“Even if Jules comes back, I’ll still be ready,” Meyers said. “If he doesn’t, I’ll be ready to go. Hopefully, I’m there so that nothing falls off.”
Meyers primarily has played slot receiver in his two appearances this season, but he knows all three receiver positions and feels he’s prepared to play them. So, the Patriots’ offense could continue to be flexible if Meyers steps in for Edelman.
“Jakobi works hard, and he’s another guy that’s done everything we’ve asked him to do,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Monday. “He’s taken a lot of snaps, he’s out there every day. He’s a tough kid and he just keeps working hard, and you know, he gets better. He’s improved quite a bit. Still got a long way to go and a lot of football in front of him, but he’s made good, steady progress and if he continues to go about things with the same kind of work ethic and positive attitude and thirst for knowledge, then he’ll continue to get better.”
Meyers is on pace for 23 catches for 450 yards if he plays 15 games. That would be the fourth most yards for a rookie wide receiver since Brady and Belichick got to New England in 2000.
Meyers is second among Patriots rookies with 56 snaps through three weeks. Third-round pick Chase Winovich leads the way with 126 snaps. Punt returner Gunner Olszewski (48 snaps), punter Jake Bailey (33 snaps), defensive tackle Byron Cowart (17 snaps) and running back Damien Harris (five snaps) are the only other rookies who have seen game action. First-round pick N’Keal Harry is on injured reserve and second-round pick Joejuan Williams has been inactive.
