The Patriots would like to keep Jakobi Meyers in New England next season and the wide receiver would like to say.
But contract value could make forging a deal between the two sides difficult.
With most of the vaunted 2019 receiver class already signing extensions and thus not hitting free agency as scheduled, Meyers will be the No. 1 wideout on the market when the NFL league year opens next Wednesday, challenged only by the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Allen Lazard.
As such, the 26-year-old could command a salary that New England would be unwilling or unable to match.
NFL Media’s Mike Giardi on Monday shared an update on Meyers’ standing. Per Giardi’s sources “no one” will be willing to pay Meyers north of $15 million per year, but a deal worth between $12 million and $14 million annually is “definitely in play.”
The Patriots are expected to “let him see what’s out there, but hope he comes back to them for (a) final conversation,” Giardi tweeted.
In other words, New England wants an opportunity to match any contract Meyers might receive on the open market, which is an approach head coach Bill Belichick has taken with internal free agents in the past.
Meyers has been the Patriots’ leading receiver in each of the last three seasons, catching 67 passes for 804 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games in 2022.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano on Sunday reported Meyers and the Patriots have spoken about a new contract but “haven’t made very much progress,” adding that he is not expected to re-sign ahead of free agency.
As a player who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, Meyers has earned a total of just $6.4 million over his four-year career. This is his first chance to land a lucrative contract, and the Patriots will need a competitive offer to retain him.
