NFL Rumors: Jakobi Meyers Said Patriots Didn't Want Him Before Raiders Contract in FA

The New England Patriots could surely use wide receiver Jakobi Meyers right now but according to him, the franchise had no interest in retaining him in free agency ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Prior to signing with the Las Vegas Raiders, Meyers told teammates and staffers: "They don't want me," referring to the Patriots, according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.

A league source also indicated to Callahan that the Patriots weren't the runner-up for Meyers. However, head coach Bill Belichick said this week that he believed the two sides were "relatively" close on a contract before the veteran signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Raiders.

The Patriots signed Meyers as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and he quickly became one of quarterback Mac Jones' favorite targets. From 2020-22, Meyers caught 209 passes for 2,399 yards and eight touchdowns on 303 targets in 45 games.

Meyers' best season in New England came in 2022 when he caught 67 passes for 804 yards and six touchdowns—both of which led the team—in 14 games.

Through four games with the Raiders this season, Meyers has caught 25 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Only one New England receiver—Kendrick Bourne—has cracked the 200-yard mark in 2023 as the offense has struggled mightily.

Bourne leads the Patriots with 18 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns in five games. Tight end Hunter Henry ranks second on the team with 17 catches for 176 yards and two scores.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was essentially signed as a replacement for Meyers, hasn't lived up to expectations this season and isn't close to being worth the three-year, $33 million deal he signed with the franchise.

Through five games, Smith-Schuster has caught 14 passes for 86 yards and has largely become an afterthought in the New England offense.

The Patriots have emerged as one of the worst teams in the NFL as they sit last in the AFC East with a 1-4 record. That's due to far more than the loss of Meyers, but his departure hasn't made things any easier.