The Patriots under coach Bill Belichick do not have a great track record when it comes to drafting and developing receivers. In 2019, they signed an undrafted free-agent receiver who developed pretty well.
And they let him leave as a free agent.
Jakobi Meyers joined the Raiders in March. He has, through four games in 2023, 25 catches for 274 yards and three touchdowns.
On Sunday, he’ll get a crack at his old team. On Wednesday, coach Bill Belichick was pressed on the failure to re-sign Meyers before he left for Las Vegas.
“He was a free agent and signed with the Raiders,” Belichick said, stating the obvious. “A lot of guys leave and change teams in free agency. But Jakobi looks like he looked here.”
So why wasn’t he more of a priority?
“He was a priority,” Belichick said. “We talked to him.”
Were you close to doing a deal?
“Relatively, yeah,” Belichick said. “But, free agency is free agency.”
Yes it is. And the Patriots didn’t properly value one of the few receivers who developed well under Belichick’s management of the team.