Two-Time New England Patriots Receiving Leader Jakobi Meyers Officially Signs Restricted Tender

The delay is over for New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

The restricted free agent officially signed his second-round tender, worth a non-guaranteed $3.986 million, three months after it had been assigned. The impending move was first reported Monday by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and announced Thursday by the organization.

Meyers, 25, landed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina State in 2019. He has since made 26 starts through 46 appearances to eclipse 2,000 snaps.

Alongside veteran quarterback Cam Newton in 2020, Meyers led the offense with 59 receptions for 729 yards on 81 targets. With rookie Mac Jones under center in 2021, he did so again, setting new career highs with 83 receptions for 866 yards on 126 targets. The initial two touchdown catches of his tenure were also notched after previously throwing two.

No New England wideout was on the field for more downs than the ex-quarterback from Lithonia, Ga. Meyers finished the year having played 84.1% to rank fourth across all positions on that side of the ball.

He is now scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next league year, barring a contract extension. No NFL club submitted an offer sheet for the Patriots to either match or decline in exchange for second-round draft compensation.

June 15 marked the deadline for teams to withdraw qualifying offers and still retain exclusive rights through a one-year contract at 110% of a restricted player’s prior salary. In the case of Meyers, who received his tender on March 13, that route could have resulted in just under $940,000 for 2022.

Meyers was asked about his unsigned agreement at the conclusion of mandatory minicamp last week, and noted that he wanted to handle football while agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey handled negotiations. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver then reiterated his interest in staying with New England on a long-term deal.

“Definitely,” Meyers said during a video conference with the media. “Who wouldn’t, honestly? You know, it’s a great place to be. The guys in the locker room, I mean, I’ve learned more about being a man just from them than probably like my whole life. It’s just been great to be around those guys. It’s a great city to be in, so I’m happy here. If God blessed me with that opportunity, how could you not jump at it?

“But at this time, I can only control what I can control. That’s just the effort I put on the field, how hard I work, and that’s really what I’ve been trying to focus on.”

Trade acquisition DeVante Parker enters his first campaign as a Patriot with a cap figure of $6.062 million. Fellow route-runners Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor enter their second with respective cap figures of $6.416 million and $14.882 million. They are joined on the depth chart by No. 50 overall pick Tyquan Thornton, plus a competition for 53-man roster spots that includes Ty Montgomery, Tre Nixon, N’Keal Harry, Kristian Wilkerson, Malcolm Perry and recent addition Lil’Jordan Humphrey.

Veterans will report back to Gillette Stadium on July 26. The first practice of Patriots training camp will follow on July 27.