Why Jakobi Meyers Prefers Raiders Over Patriots Experience

Jakobi Meyers headlined the biggest surprise departure from the Patriots last offseason, and from the sound of it, the 27-year-old prefers what came of the contract negotiations that ended his time in New England.

Meyers, a homegrown talent, wasn't deemed worthy of being prioritized in the eyes of ex-head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots front office. That allowed the Raiders to swoop in and snag Meyers on a three-year, $33 million contract, which the NC State product claimed was just $1 million above the highest dollar figure New England was willing to offer.

Now one year into that three-year deal, Meyers has already made his stance clear: Las Vegas over New England.

"It was different experiences, you know," Meyers told 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Felger and Mazz" program on Monday. "Who I was at that point in my career (in New England), I probably didn't get as much respect as I will out here. I ain't gonna lie, I do (prefer Las Vegas), honestly. I'm different, I'm a different person. There, I really had to prove who I was every single day."

Meyers added: "I was more of a focus here than I was there. Whereas there I was doing what I had to do to survive and support my family."

Meyers grew into becoming New England's No. 1 wideout option after going undrafted in 2019. He totaled a then-career-high six touchdowns while recording 804 yards receiving in 2022, just in time before free agency rolled around. The assumption was with what Meyers meant to a still-rebuilding Patriots team that's flopped in the free agency market and draft board would earn him more leeway with New England.

That didn't happen.

Instead, the Patriots took the desperation route and signed a way-beyond-prime JuJu Smith-Schuster to a three-year, $25.5 million deal -- arguably the worst free agency signing since the post-Tom Brady Patriots era began.

Meyers, on the other hand, made the most of a rocky debut run with Las Vegas. He recorded a career-high in touchdowns (8) with 807 yards receiving while putting aside an early-season concussion scare in Week 1.

Albeit still early, Meyers seems perfectly content with where Belichick's dollar delicacy led him.