In the years since Tom Brady left the Patriots, the offense has struggled to find reliable receivers for any of the next quarterbacks to work with. Cam Newton was the first to address the issue in 2020, but his determination to utilize those on the roster allowed Jakobi Meyers to begin his ascent to the top of the depth chart, following closely behind the legendary Julian Edelman.
From that season until he left in free agency in 2023, Meyers became the go-to target for Mac Jones by recording 209 receptions for 2,399 yards and eight touchdowns. He was an overlooked receiver across the league, and even by Bill Belichick, which ultimately led to the head coach choosing JuJu Smith-Schuster over Meyers in 2023.
It proved to be a big mistake, in more ways than one, as Meyers has since become a star with the Raiders and even recorded his first 1,000+ yard season in 2024. He's projected to have just as good, if not better, year this fall, with Davante Adams now with the Rams, which has led Pro Football Focus to name him the most underrated player on Las Vegas' roster, something Patriots fans know all too well.
Jakobi Meyers continues to fly under the radar in his post-Patriots career
It's nothing new for players on the Patriots to be widely disregarded or overlooked for their performance, no matter how productive they are. That has been the case for the past two decades, with even Tom Brady being disrespected for his accomplishments throughout his career.
It's unsurprising, then, to see that even in his post-Patriots career, Meyers continues to be considered an underrated part of a team's offense, as stated by PFF.
"The Raiders relied heavily on Davante Adams as their top receiver during his time with the team, and over the past two years with Meyers on the roster, Adams earned nearly 200 targets across 20 games. With Adams gone since Week 3 of 2024, Meyers really stepped up, earning 108 targets and going for 875 receiving yards and 1.87 yards per route run to rank second on the team, behind only Brock Bowers.
Meyers has established himself as a reliable second option in the passing game for the Raiders, ranking 39th in PFF receiving grade (78.2) and 17th in total targets (232) among 147 qualifying wide receivers since 2023."
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The Raiders have undergone several changes this offseason, similar to that of the Patriots, with a new head coach and quarterback for Meyers to work with. Because he will now have a trusted veteran like Geno Smith to catch passes from, it's easy to project he could have the best season of his career in 2025, especially as he could be competing for that WR1 spot among mostly unproven talent in the locker room.
He accomplished that when he was with the Patriots, carving a role for himself on an otherwise unimpressive offense and proving his value to the league, ultimately leading to a hefty contract offer from the Raiders.
It will be interesting to see how his career continues and if he will build upon what he's already established in Las Vegas, and if that will eventually lead to a contract extension before he becomes a free agent again next year.