Mac Jones pays huge compliment to Jakobi Meyers after joint practice originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Jakobi Meyers is probably the most reliable wide receiver on the New England Patriots roster, and he’s clearly earned the trust of starting quarterback Mac Jones.
Jones looked Meyers’ way often last season as the 25-year-old wideout led the team with 83 receptions for 866 yards on 126 targets. Meyers was targeted 56 times more than the next-closest wide receiver, Kendrick Bourne.
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Don’t be surprised if Meyers finishes with a similar number of targets during the 2022 NFL season. The connection between Jones and Meyers appears to be as strong as ever, and that was evident during Wednesday’s joint practice against the Raiders in Las Vegas.
Meyers caught two touchdowns from Jones in the session, including a highlight-reel reception during an 11-on-11 drill.
Jones is hoping to play with Meyers for a long, long time.
“He’s just a really smart football player. He’s been one of my close friends since I’ve gotten here. I trust him,” Jones told reporters after Wednesday’s practice.
“We see the game the same way, sometimes without even talking about it. We’re just working on growing together and making our repertoire a little better. Just with what he sees — how can he help me and how can I help him . Hopefully we can grow together here. He’s just a tough, smart football player, and I’ll take him on my team forever, hopefully.”
Every quarterback needs a go-to wide receiver, and Meyers seems to be that guy for Jones. Veteran tight end Hunter Henry is one of those players, too, and he led the Patriots with nine receiving touchdowns last season.
The Patriots have tremendous depth at wide receiver entering the 2022 campaign, even with rookie Tyquan Thornton expected to be out around eight weeks with a collarbone injury. Meyers may not be the most talented wideout in the group, but his reliability makes him a huge asset for Jones and New England’s offense as a whole.