The Las Vegas Raiders made one move before the trade deadline on Monday, sending Jakobi Meyers to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
Coincidentally, the move came after the Raiders’ overtime loss to those same Jaguars on Sunday.
Las Vegas now has a third selection in the fourth round and an additional one in the sixth round, giving them 10 selections overall.
It was the logical course of action for first-year general manager John Spytek, with the Raiders sitting at 2-6 and Meyers’ contract expiring after this season.
Spytek ultimately chose to send Meyers to Jacksonville, rather than lose him for nothing,
Former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr weighed in on the trade during an episode of the “Home Grown with David & Derek Carr” podcast, noting how difficult it is for players within an organization to see other good players leave the building:
“I told you this was going to happen last week,” Carr said. “Jakobi can be a No. 1 target guy. You can throw him the ball, he’s going to be open. He can play every down, he can play the slot, he can play outside.
“It’s definitely a need for the Jaguars, so this is definitely going to help them. As a Raider, man, I just wish it would have worked out because I don’t like getting rid of good players… That’s tough for Maxx [Crosby], too. As one of the older players, as a captain, you see a good player leave your building. It’s never a good feeling.”
The trade seemed like an inevitable conclusion, with Meyers requesting a move just before the start of the regular season after the two sides were unable to agree on a contract extension. The wide receiver’s future with the organization was unclear as a result, with the possibility of signing a new contract in free agency not a guarantee.
What’s next for Raiders after Jakobi Meyers trade?
While the loss of Meyers stings, there are plenty of reasons this move made sense from the front office’s perspective. Tre Tucker’s development this season, the prominence of Brock Bowers as the top receiving option in this offense, and Jack Bech’s need for more playing time also make this deal easier to swallow.
However, Bech had zero offensive snaps against the Jaguars. It is part of a broader trend among the coaching staff to avoid using the Raiders’ young players.
In the best interest of the organization’s future, that needs to change going forward.
