Retired Patriots Legend ‘Shocked’ By Jakobi Meyers Departure

The departure of Jakobi Meyers didn’t sit well with a lot of names in the NFL world. The New England Patriots weren’t able to keep the talented receiver and they will have to find someone to replace him in 2023.

Former Patriots safety Devin McCourty doesn’t approve this move. He wanted Meyers to stay on the Patriots roster. It was a shocking move, but the Patriots have to move on without their leading receiver.

“What I was surprised by was Jakobi,” the McCourty twin said on WEEI. “Like, I thought what Jakobi signed for for the Raiders was, like, ‘Eh.’ Like, he was our most productive receiver the last two years, and this year he missed (three) games and still was head and shoulders our most productive guy in an offensive system that loves having a guy that can work short routes inside, intermediate routes, vertically on third down, is the guy usually on third down.

“So when I saw what he signed for, I was kind of like, ‘Damn.’ Like, I thought that would have been an easy contract to bring him back here, and from talking to him, I think he wanted to be back here.”

Patriots face big challenge following Jakobi Meyers departure

Meyers was a true leader and a role model for many players. Young Patriots players looked up to him and now he is gone. Will the team survive this loss?

“I thought from a leadership standpoint going forward, he’s like that guy, if I’m a coach, I’m saying, ‘Be like Jakobi,” McCourty said. “Undrafted guy, earned it, works his butt off every single day. Everything we said was a weakness for him, he continues to work at, and the things we say are strengths, he just continues to master. Be like him.

“So I think that’s a big loss. Not a very vocal guy, but he’s a guy that you say, ‘Be like him.’ Very similar in the mold of Edelman. Be like him. Come down and crack the safety, which I know you don’t like doing, but we’re going to make you crack 10 times in this game because it’s key to winning — Jakobi did that. So I thought that was a big loss. … That shocked me.”

New England faces difficult times. Bill Belichick has to make an adjustment and make things work for everyone.