Jakobi Meyers ▣ Free Agency

[lancerman]

The Patriots currently are $155 million under the projected 2024 cap with 31 players under contract.

Even with an active off-season this year, they’ll probably be around a $100 million under with around 45 players under contract at the start of next offseason.

Belichick said to the media at the end of last season that even with the spending in the 2021 off-season that the team was still 27th in spending over the last 3 seasons.

NFL teams have to spend to 90% of the cap over a 5 year period. Where are the Patriots spending money to get to the floor?

Some of you act like it’s your money they’re spending. They’ve got to spend it somewhere, and I for one will be damn angry if they fail to make a competitive offer to the guy who’s been their best receiver over the last 3 season. Meyers has limitations, but he’s a good and productive player. Rarely does it work when you go back to go forward.

The on the cheap days have come and gone. They no longer have Bill and Tom in their primes to lift inadequate talent to wins. We’ll see what happens, but they have money to spend, and they have to spend enough of it to reach the salary floor.

It's not about just spending money for the sake of it though. The question is going to be, is Meyers at 4-5 years with 17-20 million per year (with some of it guaranteed) worth it in lieu of something else that could potentially help more. Especially if they are already considering make a trade for a big number 1 WR. Because if you do that and sign Meyers, you are talking about 40million+ tied up in two WR's and Meyers becomes a lot less meaningful when you have other WR 2's on the team for cheaper.

Meyers is going to get overpaid somewhere. The Patriots are not a contender right now who need to overextend to keep one guy. They need to continue to build a team. If they were in a Super Bowl window and losing Meyers was going to rock the boat, then yeah maybe you say "we have the team we want to roll with, let's eat a bit of a cap loss to keep this guy". That's not where they are at.

 

[lancerman]

Comparing the situations. Hightower visited multiple teams and easily could have signed elsewhere had the money been right. What you said would apply if he was locked up prior to hitting fa, once a player does hit fa all bets are off.

Thing is everyone knew Hightower was going out with the idea that he'd come back and see if the Pats could match. And there was the general sense that they just wanted him to find his value so they didn't have to negotiate against themselves. Pretty much every report on Hightower was saying that was the case and the Patriots were always going to match unless something crazy happened.

Meyers is going into a WR market the entire league is expecting big overpays on and there's a more than likely chance he gets offers the Pats won't want to pay and it's also highly likely he gets an offer and just signs without give NE a chance to counter

 

[mgteich]

I mean they are not going to try to resign him at that price which would prevent him becoming a fa. They will let him check out other offers and if nobody bites maybe sign him closer to what they want. As i said, could be similar to when hightower was a fa unless someone actually wants to pay him $15m plus

I'll be more clear.

If they offered Meyers $15M today, I don't think that he would take it without doing the due diligence during the "tamperong" period before free agency begins.

But, yes, I agree that the patriots won't make an offer acceptable to Meyer before free agency begins.

This is a very, very important contract for Meyers, the ONE that sets him up for life. There may be more top contracts after this one, or not.

 

[mgteich]

Meyers is going into a WR market the entire league is expecting big overpays on and there's a more than likely chance he gets offers the Pats won't want to pay and it's also highly likely he gets an offer and just signs without give NE a chance to counter

I agree.

It is quite possible (even likely) that Meyers will find a situation that suits him. There is no particular reason for him to bring the offer back to the patriots. Some think that it would be a courtesy to give the patriots an opportunity to match. I don't see why. Perhaps there is a team that presents a situation that he prefers to playing for the patriots. If the patriots wanted an opportunity to match, they should have franchised him.
===============
Yes, I understand that Meyers may find that the high offers just aren't there, and no one really want to pay for one of the 2 top WR's in free agency. I simply find that situation unlikely. Lots and lots of teams want and need WR's. And, there just aren't many quality WR's available.

 

[PatsFan2]

Comparing the situations. Hightower visited multiple teams and easily could have signed elsewhere had the money been right. What you said would apply if he was locked up prior to hitting fa, once a player does hit fa all bets are off.

Great way to get a free lunch and dinner Hightower already had a wink wink we'll match almost anything deal with the Patriots. Meyers ain't getting no such deal as less he's willing to sign for Agholor type money.

 

[Nunchucks]

I think that Parker, Bourne, thorten and a 3rd round rookie is fine. They still can pick up some mid level guys in fa.

I've seen worse.

They need a tackle

 

[Family]

Meyers is going into a WR market the entire league is expecting big overpays on and there's a more than likely chance he gets offers the Pats won't want to pay and it's also highly likely he gets an offer and just signs without give NE a chance to counter

I think he'd prefer to stay and would give the team a final look, but agree the number will be too high.

I think that Parker, Bourne, thorten and a 3rd round rookie is fine. They still can pick up some mid level guys in fa.

I've seen worse.

Not much worse.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

It's not about just spending money for the sake of it though. The question is going to be, is Meyers at 4-5 years with 17-20 million per year (with some of it guaranteed) worth it in lieu of something else that could potentially help more. Especially if they are already considering make a trade for a big number 1 WR. Because if you do that and sign Meyers, you are talking about 40million+ tied up in two WR's and Meyers becomes a lot less meaningful when you have other WR 2's on the team for cheaper.

Meyers is going to get overpaid somewhere. The Patriots are not a contender right now who need to overextend to keep one guy. They need to continue to build a team. If they were in a Super Bowl window and losing Meyers was going to rock the boat, then yeah maybe you say "we have the team we want to roll with, let's eat a bit of a cap loss to keep this guy". That's not where they are at.

I agree the most likely scenario is he’ll get overpaid somewhere. But there is still an outside chance he doesn’t find something and comes back at a number nobody was expecting.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I'll be more clear.

If they offered Meyers $15M today, I don't think that he would take it without doing the due diligence during the "tamperong" period before free agency begins.

But, yes, I agree that the patriots won't make an offer acceptable to Meyer before free agency begins.

This is a very, very important contract for Meyers, the ONE that sets him up for life. There may be more top contracts after this one, or not.

I dont know that he would take it either. But if he doesn’t, there is always the chance that everyone was overestimating his value and he doesn’t see 15m itself elsewhere. Do i think thats going to happen? No. But I wouldn’t be shocked if free agency doesn’t go as he plans.

 

[PatsfanTN]

I think that Parker, Bourne, thorten and a 3rd round rookie is fine. They still can pick up some mid level guys in fa.

I've seen worse.

They need a tackle

They MUST get a tackle, no question

 

[Wozzy]

Thing is everyone knew Hightower was going out with the idea that he'd come back and see if the Pats could match. And there was the general sense that they just wanted him to find his value so they didn't have to negotiate against themselves. Pretty much every report on Hightower was saying that was the case and the Patriots were always going to match unless something crazy happened.

Meyers is going into a WR market the entire league is expecting big overpays on and there's a more than likely chance he gets offers the Pats won't want to pay and it's also highly likely he gets an offer and just signs without give NE a chance to counter

The Jets offered Hightower more money, he refused them and took the Patriots slightly less offer. The prospect of moving and playing on a dumpster fire was not worth it.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I agree.

It is quite possible (even likely) that Meyers will find a situation that suits him. There is no particular reason for him to bring the offer back to the patriots. Some think that it would be a courtesy to give the patriots an opportunity to match. I don't see why. Perhaps there is a team that presents a situation that he prefers to playing for the patriots. If the patriots wanted an opportunity to match, they should have franchised him.
===============
Yes, I understand that Meyers may find that the high offers just aren't there, and no one really want to pay for one of the 2 top WR's in free agency. I simply find that situation unlikely. Lots and lots of teams want and need WR's. And, there just aren't many quality WR's available.

I don't think it's about bringing the offer back to the Patriots and having the Patriots match. It's about bringing it back to the Patriots and see if they can do better. It's good for the Patriots and it's good for Meyers.

 

[crawhammer]

Or an Impact Rookie totally possible.

Too unpredictable. Belichick has a very poor track record with drafting WRs. I don't think they're drafting a WR as high as the 2nd round again this year either. I'm not trusting the impact rookie scenario at all. Trade or FA is how it mostly can get done. Starting with re-signing Meyers. Then go after a true WR1.

 

[patsinthesnow]

 

[PowerRunRevival]

If Giardi is right and the price is $12-$14 MM then they should absolutely keep him.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

If Giardi is right and the price is $12-$14 MM then they should absolutely keep him.

I threw up in my mouth a little.
Meyers is a system WR.
Great story undrafted to focal point of offense but he gets erased by a teams number 1 DB easily on man to man.

 

[RodThePat]

The report at the time was the Jets pulled their offer after Hightower's physical. Their initial contract was 20 million higher than what the Patriots ended up giving him. These savings basically fell on their lap, odds are if Hightower were fine physically he'd be a Jet or a Steeler.

 

[Real fan 02]

Totally overlooking the fact that Meyers has PROVED he can thrive here.

I've said this many times.. Myers is more valuable here with the patriots than anywhere else.. not saying he wouldn't be good in another system but he's a 1st down Machine in this offense.. he gets open and catches the ball.. BB loves those typed of guys... However the team won't pay him 12-15 Million.

 

[mgteich]

I don't think it's about bringing the offer back to the Patriots and having the Patriots match. It's about bringing it back to the Patriots and see if they can do better. It's good for the Patriots and it's good for Meyers.

Is it good for Myers because you want him here?

If he finds a situation he likes, he has no reason to negotiate with the patriots, the jets or anyone else.

 

[PowerRunRevival]

I threw up in my mouth a little.
Meyers is a system WR.
Great story undrafted to focal point of offense but he gets erased by a teams number 1 DB easily on man to man.

12-14 isn’t number one wr money in the league today though. You shouldn’t expect a guy making that much to be able to handle number one DBs.