Before the season even began, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers requested a trade due to his displeasure with his contract. Meyers was finally moved on Tuesday before the NFL deadline, getting shipped to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a fourth and sixth round pick.
The trade will give Raiders’ offensive coordinator and former UCLA Bruin head coach Chip Kelly one fewer weapon to work with for the rest of the season. Meyers was set to become a free agent this offseason and the Raiders couldn’t reach a long-term agreement with Meyers, making him expendable for the 2-6 Raiders.
Meyers had a career year in 2024 but he hasn’t seen the same results this year with Geno Smith. After totaling 87 catches and 1,027 receiving yards last year, he’s had only 33 catches for 352 yards without scoring a touchdown.
The draft capital the Raiders received is better than the compensation pick Las Vegas would have gotten if Meyers left in free agency. In the short term, it gives Kelly one less wideout to work with. The Raiders have a veteran roster that has under-performed, with the trade perhaps second round pick Jack Bech will get more work alongside Tre Tucker and the recently acquired Tyler Lockett.
Raiders Wire writer Levi Damien explained what made the Jaguars seek out Meyers after their first round pick Travis Hunter got placed on injured reserve.
“In recent days, it’s been widely reported the Raiders were fielding calls for Meyers, but that their price tag was high. A fourth and sixth round pick is indeed pretty high. But to the Raiders’ credit, they got what they were asking for.
The Raiders are fresh off of playing the Jaguars. In that game Jacksonville saw two of their top receivers for the overtime period. This after sending top pick WR/CB Travis Hunter to IR earlier in the week. So, where the Jaguars previously had little to no interest, they suddenly jumped into the mix.” Damien said.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Las Vegas Raiders finally grant wide receiver Jakobi Meyers his trade request
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
