NFL Analysis
3/14/23
3 min read
Raiders, Jakobi Meyers Agree to 3-Year, $33M Deal
The Las Vegas Raiders and top free agent wide receiver Jakobi Meyers agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal, including $21 million guaranteed on Tuesday, NFL Media reported. Meyers is the first big domino to fall in the free-agent wide receiver class.
The Raiders are adding Meyers to a talented skill-position group, including Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs and Hunter Renfrow. For Meyers, he's reuniting with Raiders coach Josh McDaniels from their time in New England when McDaniels was the Patriots' offensive coordinator.
This is the Raiders' second big splash of the free agency period, as they agreed to a three-year, $67.5 million deal with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on Monday. Although Garoppolo and Meyers both played under McDaniels in New England, their time did not overlap. Still, both players should be well-versed in the Raiders' scheme already.
"When you have a history with a playbook and with a system of football, there's not a lot of new learning," said Rich Gannon, an analyst for The 33rd Team. "We have less time in the classroom. Less time on the practice field. If you can get a player that's been in your system that understands your verbiage and terminology, the transition goes smoother. I think it's a great move by the Raiders to sign Meyers."
The Patriots signed Meyers as an undrafted free agent from North Carolina State in 2019, but he quickly became a critical part of New England's offense. He finished with 67 catches for 804 yards and a career-high six touchdowns last season. Meyers mostly operates from the slot. He took 76.7 percent of his reps from the slot in 2022 and 80.3 percent in 2021.
Meyers has also carved out a small role as a trick-play quarterback. He was recruited to play quarterback for the Wolfpack before transitioning to wide receiver, and he's completed all four of his NFL passing attempts for 88 yards and two touchdowns.
The Raiders are looking to rebound after an underwhelming 2022 season. They finished 6-11, good for third place in the AFC West, despite having playoff expectations. Las Vegas benched long-time quarterback Derek Carr in Week 15 before moving on from him this offseason.
The Raiders' offense finished 11th in passing yards per game last season, so they likely hope Meyers' addition pushes them into the top 10.
Meyers already has a history of helping the Raiders thanks to his infamous failed backward lateral that helped the Raiders defeat the Patriots on Dec. 18, 2022.
WATCH: Garoppolo Isn't an Upgrade
