Before the season, Jakobi Meyers requested a trade after his push for an extension did not result in a new deal. While Meyers rescinded the trade ask soon after and began his third Raiders season, teams have still shown interest in the veteran starter.
With the Raiders freefalling — a putrid showing in Kansas City the latest poor effort from Las Vegas — they have become more open to moving Meyers in his contract year. Offering a candid take on the situation Tuesday, Meyers said (via ESPN.com’s Ryan McFadden) he still welcomes a change of scenery.
Meyers said “for sure” when asked if he wants to be traded. He remains tied to a three-year, $33MM deal authorized during Josh McDaniels‘ second and final offseason running the show. Entering the season as Las Vegas’ No. 1 receiver, Meyers wanted an update from a deal that pays him less than the going rate for that role. Meyers is the NFL’s 34th-highest-paid receiver.
The former Patriots UDFA, added during Tom Brady‘s final year with the franchise, has done well on his free agency deal. After Allen Lazard (Jets) and JuJu Smith-Schuster disappointed on their eight-figure-per-year accords from the 2023 class, Meyers posted an 807-yard ’23 showing and managed one of the NFL’s quieter 1,000-yard years in 2024.
As the Raiders sank to 4-13 with Aidan O’Connell as their primary triggerman, Meyers and Brock Bowers excelled. While Brady is now a minority Raiders owner, the team’s lack of a post-2025 commitment — amid a disappointing start to the Pete Carroll–John Spytek regime — this summer would stand to make Meyers a clear trade target before the November 4 deadline.
An acquiring team would be on the hook for a somewhat pricey number on its cap. Meyers is on a $10.5MM base salary; a trade suitor would be responsible for more than $6.1MM. That number would drop closer to $5MM if the Raiders wait until the deadline to move on, but it is also likely interested clubs would ask the team to eat some salary in a swap. This would fetch the Raiders a better draft pick, in theory, but they balked at such a strategy with Hunter Renfrow‘s two-year, $32MM deal in 2023. Granted, that came just before Mark Davis fired McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler. The Jets also took on all of Davante Adams‘ money upon acquiring him last year. It is unclear how the Brady-Spytek pair will proceed.
Meyers also missed the Raiders’ Week 7 loss due to knee and toe issues. He has played in every other Vegas game this season, totaling 29 receptions for 329 yards. Provided these injuries are minor and he would be recovered soon, the soon-to-be 29-year-old pass catcher would improve a few contenders’ receiving situations in a trade. An acquiring team would hold exclusive Meyers negotiating rights until March 2026; he would then be free to speak with other teams as a free agent.