Reporter questions Belichick saying team was close to re-signing WR

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots reporter questions Bill Belichick saying team was 'relatively' close to re-signing WR

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 10/11/23

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday that the team was "relatively" close to re-signing now-Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers in the offseason.

According to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald, that wasn't the case in the eyes of Meyers.

Bill Belichick says Jakobi Meyers was a priority in free agency, and he feels they were "relatively" close in negotiations.

I can tell you this: that's news to Meyers' camp.
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) October 11, 2023

"He was a priority. We talked to him." Was it close?"Relatively."
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) October 11, 2023

After spending the first four years of his career with New England, Belichick and company let the 26-year-old walk, and he signed a three-year deal with Las Vegas in March. The Patriots replaced Meyers at the top of the wide receiver depth chart with JuJu Smith-Schuster, but that signing has been a disaster thus far.

Smith-Schuster has just 14 catches for a measly 86 scoreless yards on 25 targets through five games. Meyers, meanwhile, has shined during his first season with the Raiders, outproducing the 2018 Pro Bowler with 25 receptions for 274 yards and three touchdowns (tying Davante Adams for the team lead) in just four contests.

Meyers missed Week 2 due to a concussion but has had at least seven catches for 75 or more yards and 10-plus targets in three games. With Adams being held in check, he helped lead Las Vegas to a 17-13 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 5 on "Monday Night Football" with seven receptions for 75 yards and one score.

Meyers led the Patriots in targets, receptions and receiving yards during the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, and in targets (96), receiving yards (806) and touchdowns (career high six) last season.

Las Vegas hosts New England in Week 6 at 4:05 p.m. ET on Sunday.

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