The Raiders and Josh McDaniels are once again shopping on familiar streets in free agency this offseason.
Las Vegas is signing former New England wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to a three-year, $33 million deal that includes $21 million guaranteed, ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday, per a source.
¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork Insider Tom Pelissero added Meyers is set to earn $11 million in 2023 and his contract includes a $5.5 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2024 league year that is guaranteed for skill and injury at signing.
It's the latest former Patriots player coached by McDaniels to join the Raiders, following Monday's signing of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Meyers and Garoppolo never played together in New England, but they separately saw their careers ascend with McDaniels calling plays there.
The undrafted Meyers settled in with New England (when Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler was in the front office there) and has developed himself into one of the better slot receivers in the league. He established career bests in receptions (83) and receiving yards (833) in 2021, and touchdowns (six) in 2022.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder also was part of one of the more bizarre plays in recent ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøhistory, when Meyers' backward lateral at the end of the Patriots-Raiders game in Week 15 led to a Chandler Jones walk-off TD return. Clearly that didn't dissuade McDaniels or the Raiders.
But the move raises questions over where the Raiders plan to use their receivers. Davante Adams will start at one of the outside spots, and Meyers figures to be used frequently. Is Hunter Renfrow -- predominantly a slot receiver -- guaranteed to have a role? There's also the question of whether Meyers' signing prevents Mack Hollins, who was solid down the stretch, from returning to Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, in New England, the Patriots are losing their leading receiver from each of the past three seasons. Among the options still remaining at WR on the Pats' roster: DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, Kendrick Bourne, Lynn Bowden Jr. and Tre Nixon. Nelson Agholor is a free agent.
