Jakobi Meyers‘ trade request went unfulfilled by the Raiders as final roster cuts came and went, but at least one team tried to get the veteran wideout out of Las Vegas.
The Raiders were contacted by another team regarding Meyers, but that team wanted the Raiders to eat some of Meyers’ $11MM salary, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via The Pat McAfee Show) Las Vegas already had no intention of trading Meyers, and the prospect of absorbing additional dead money only made them less likely to reconsider.
The specific team that wanted Meyers remains unknown, but it makes sense why he would draw interest on the trade market. The 28-year-old has quietly put together a solid career, growing steadily throughout his first four years in New England before landing an $11MM APY deal from the Raiders in 2023 free agency.
The wide receiver market has grown significantly since then, and so has Meyers. He recorded 800 yards in 2023 for the third year in a row to go along with eight touchdowns, a career-high. He then stepped up after Davante Adams‘ departure and posted his first thousand-yard season in 2024, albeit with less-than-stellar efficiency.
As a result, Meyers was looking for a raise via an extension, both to reflect his production and his newfound status as the team’s WR1. The Raiders came to the negotiating table, but the two sides were unable to hammer out a deal. Meyers then took the usual step of asking for a trade.
However, trying again before Week 1 might be an ideal situation for both sides. Meyers is a reliable, versatile veteran in a young receiver room who could improve on last year’s numbers with Geno Smith stabilizing Las Vegas’ quarterback situation. Signing him now – perhaps in the $18MM per year range reached by Christian Kirk – would keep him happy and could be a steal if Smith provides more and better opportunities to make plays. However, Mike Evans‘ $20.5MM APY would seem to be a clear cap on a potential deal; given the longtime Buccaneer’s production relative to Meyers, the Raiders may not even be willing to go above $19MM per year.