The New England Patriots have a bunch of players who can become free agents during the 2023 NFL offseason, and two of the most notable names are running back Damien Harris and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
Both of them want to return.
Harris ran for 48 yards on 14 carries in the Patriots' 35-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday -- a result that knocked New England out of playoff contention in the AFC. The 2019 third-round pick ran for 414 yards (4.4 per carry) with four touchdowns in 11 games. Injuries kept him sidelined for a good chunk of the second half of the season. He missed four games from Week 13 through Week 16.
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What is Harris' mindset regarding his future?
"If they’ll have me, I’d love to be back," Harris told reporters in the locker room after the loss in Buffalo. "But at the end of the day, I know this is a business. I know this organization is going to do what's best for them, and at the end of the day, I have to do what's best for me. We'll see what happens."
The Patriots have pretty good depth at running back. Rhamondre Stevenson established himself as the top player at the position this season, and his 1,461 yards from scrimmage rank as the fifth-most of any Patriots player since 2000. New England also drafted two running backs in 2022 -- Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr. It's also unwise for teams to devote a large portion of the salary cap to running backs. Given these factors, it wouldn't be shocking if Harris left in free agency.
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The Patriots would be smart to make re-signing Meyers a priority.
Meyers caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Mac Jones in each of the final three regular season games. He led all Patriots wide receivers in receptions (67), receiving yards (804) and receiving touchdowns (six) this season. He led New England wideouts in receptions and receiving yards in 2021, too.
If the Patriots view Jones as their starting quarterback for next season, then Meyers absolutely should be brought back. Meyers and Jones have developed a tremendous on-field chemistry.
Meyers was asked after Sunday's defeat if he wanted to return next season. He said, "Definitely, definitely."
The Patriots will have about $54 million in salary cap space during the offseason, per OverTheCap. That's the fourth-most of any team. They'll have money to spend, the real challenge is using it wisely. There are plenty of positions on both sides of the ball that need upgrading.
