Jakobi Meyers has been traded from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Jacksonville Jaguars, a move reported on Tuesday by ESPN’s Adam Schefter ahead of the NFL trade deadline. The Raiders will reportedly receive a fourth- and a sixth-round draft pick in return. The deal follows a 30-29 Jaguars victory over Las Vegas in Week 9 and comes after Jacksonville placed rookie Travis Hunter on injured reserve with a knee issue. Meyers, in the final year of a three-year, $33 million deal, leaves a Raiders team that has struggled through the 2025 season.
Key Takeaways
- Trade reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter: Raiders will receive a fourth-round and a sixth-round pick in exchange for Jakobi Meyers.
- Meyers had four catches for 23 yards in Week 9, the game that preceded the trade report; the Jaguars won 30-29.
- Jacksonville placed rookie Travis Hunter on Injured Reserve with a knee injury and said he will miss multiple games.
- Meyers was in the final year of a three-year, $33 million contract signed in 2023 after four seasons with the New England Patriots.
- He posted a 1,000-yard receiving season in 2024 and was pursuing his fifth straight season of at least 800 receiving yards.
- Before the Week 8 bye, Meyers had 29 catches and 329 receiving yards across six games; he said he “for sure” wanted a trade earlier in the season.
- The Raiders enter the transaction having won two games in 2025, including a season-opening road win over the Patriots and a victory against the Tennessee Titans.
- Las Vegas is in Pete Carroll’s first season as head coach; offensive struggles under coordinator Chip Kelly and uneven play from quarterback Geno Smith were recurring issues.
Background
Jakobi Meyers joined the Raiders in 2023 on a three-year contract after four seasons with the New England Patriots, where he arrived as an undrafted free agent out of NC State. He delivered a 1,000-yard receiving campaign in 2024, becoming a dependable slot target and one of Las Vegas’s primary pass-catchers. Entering 2025, the Raiders did not extend Meyers, leaving him in the final year of his deal.
Early in the 2025 season Meyers signaled his desire to move, telling reporters around the Week 8 bye that he was “for sure” interested in a trade while committing to remain professional. That request went unmet while the Raiders tried to navigate a season marked by offensive inconsistency, injuries to key pieces and a coaching transition under Pete Carroll. The club’s offense, run by Chip Kelly, has not produced the expected output, and several starters, including tight end Brock Bowers, have missed time with injuries.
Main Event
On Tuesday, multiple outlets cited ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that Las Vegas agreed to send Meyers to Jacksonville for a fourth-round and a sixth-round draft pick. The transaction came ahead of the NFL trade deadline and shortly after the Jaguars beat the Raiders 30-29 in Week 9, a game in which Meyers had a limited role and totaled 23 yards on four receptions. The timing suggests Jacksonville pursued additional receiving depth after learning of Travis Hunter’s knee injury.
Jacksonville’s announcement that rookie Travis Hunter was placed on Injured Reserve with a knee problem left the team thin at wide receiver; team statements indicated Hunter will miss multiple games. With Hunter sidelined, the Jaguars appeared to accelerate interest in veteran receivers who can contribute immediately in both the slot and boundary. Meyers, who has a track record of consistent production and route discipline, fits that short-term need.
For Las Vegas, moving Meyers represents a roster recalibration amid a disappointing 2025 campaign. The Raiders entered the season with expectations that have not materialized: Geno Smith has failed to replicate his earlier career output, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty has not produced breakout rushing numbers, and the offense has lacked consistent explosiveness. Trading a veteran asset for mid-round picks aligns with a strategy to collect draft capital and reset role players under Carroll’s system.
Analysis & Implications
Short term, Jacksonville gains a reliable slot receiver who can help sustain the passing game while Hunter recovers. Meyers offers route precision, third-down reliability and familiarity with complex timing-based passing concepts. Those traits could help stabilize Jacksonville’s offense in a potentially tight AFC South race and provide a veteran target for the quarterback to rely on on intermediate routes.
For the Raiders, the return — a fourth and a sixth — is modest but pragmatic. Mid-round picks give Las Vegas flexibility in the offseason to address depth or package assets for other moves. The trade signals the organization is prioritizing longer-term roster construction over one remaining season of a veteran who requested a move. It also frees targets for emerging players like Tre Tucker to take on larger roles.
Strategically, the deal may have ripple effects across the AFC. If Meyers re-establishes himself in Jacksonville, the Jaguars could maintain offensive continuity despite Hunter’s absence, keeping pressure on division rivals. Conversely, if Meyers underperforms, Jacksonville’s willingness to pay with picks could be scrutinized, especially given Hunter’s two-way role as both cornerback and receiver earlier in the season.
Comparison & Data
| Season/Item | Stat/Detail |
|---|---|
| 2024 Meyers | 1,000 receiving yards |
| 2025 (through Week 9) | 29 catches, 329 yards in six games before bye |
| Week 9 Game vs Jaguars | 4 catches, 23 yards |
| Trade return | Raiders receive a 4th-round and a 6th-round pick |
Context: Meyers’ 2024 performance established him as a consistent producer; his 2025 usage was interrupted by injuries (knee and toe) that cost him Week 7. The draft compensation reflects a mid-season market where teams balance immediate offensive needs against the cost of veteran talent. Mid-round picks are often used to add depth, select developmental players, or as currency in other trades.
Reactions & Quotes
Team statements and media coverage came quickly after the report. Meyers’ earlier comments and the reporting from national insiders framed the trade as the culmination of a season-long buy-in from the player to seek a new opportunity.
“for sure”
Jakobi Meyers (to reporters, regarding trade interest)
National reporting identified the assets involved and characterized the swap as a modest draft exchange. That framing underscores how teams value immediate veteran help differently during the season versus the offseason.
“The Raiders will receive fourth and sixth-round picks in return for Meyers,”
Adam Schefter / ESPN (reported)
Jacksonville’s official roster moves explained the team’s need for depth after the loss of a high-ceiling rookie to injury. The IR transaction was cited as a proximate cause for the Jaguars’ pursuit of external receiving help.
“Placed on Injured Reserve”
Jacksonville Jaguars (official transaction notice)
Unconfirmed
- Whether Meyers will immediately step into a full-time starting role in Jacksonville is not confirmed and depends on staff evaluations and game-plan fit.
- The exact timetable for Travis Hunter’s return is uncertain beyond team statements that he will miss multiple games; recovery could be longer than initially projected.
- The Raiders’ long-term plans for the acquired fourth- and sixth-round picks (draft vs. trade package) have not been disclosed.
Bottom Line
Jakobi Meyers’ trade to the Jacksonville Jaguars closes a chapter that began with his 2023 signing in Las Vegas and a strong 2024 season. For Jacksonville, Meyers represents immediate receiving experience to help navigate Hunter’s absence and shore up the passing attack. For Las Vegas, the exchange is a pragmatic accumulation of draft capital while the franchise recalibrates under a new coaching staff.
Looking ahead, the move’s success will be judged by Meyers’ ability to produce in Jacksonville’s system and how the Raiders deploy their new picks. Both teams face near-term challenges: the Jaguars must replace lost production while aiming to remain competitive, and the Raiders must accelerate development of younger players while recouping value through the draft.