The Las Vegas Raiders decided to stay relatively quiet at the trade deadline, but they did make one move. The team traded away wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to the Jacksonville Jaguars for fourth and sixth-round picks.
This move didn’t come as a surprise, considering Meyers requested a trade months ago. With the Raiders’ loss to the Jaguars in Week 9, it was clear that there was no reason to keep him on the roster.
Perhaps if they had won, they would’ve kept him and let him walk in free agency, but with the playoffs highly unlikely, they didn’t have much of a choice but to move him. The Raiders’ wide receiver corps was already very weak, and Meyers was the best of the bunch.
Regardless, quarterback Geno Smith doesn’t sound upset that Meyers forced his way out. He had some high praise for the wide receiver following the trade news.
“Hard-working guy, extremely hard-working,” Smith said of Meyers on Tuesday. “Very talented player. A guy who knows the game in and out. … He was a valuable asset for us on the offense. I wish him the best in the future. Hope he gets everything that he deserves.”
Chip Kelly Weighs in on Meyers Trade
Meyers was already struggling to be consistently productive for Las Vegas. He had four catches for less than 40 yards in each of the last four games he played for the Raiders.
That said, he’s been a good leader for the young wide receiver room and is also a strong blocker. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is already struggling with how to figure out how to score points, and he just lost his best wide receiver.
He stressed how important it is that other players step up now that Meyers is gone.
“It has to be multiple guys, Jakobi was such an impact player for us,” Kelly said when asked who will replace Meyers. “I wish him the best. He was a great practice player, and I enjoyed coaching him. He was a heck of a kid, but we got some other receivers who are going to have to pick it up.”
Who Could Fill the Void Left by Meyers?
Second-round pick Jack Bech didn’t play a single offensive snap in Week 9, and fellow rookie Dont’e Thornton was a healthy scratch. It seems that perhaps Tyler Lockett was brought in to replace Meyers, but he’s 33 years old.
It makes a lot more sense to give the rookies more reps. Bech is the most obvious candidate to replace Meyers. He has a very similar skillset, and as a second-round pick, he should be seeing the field more.
Thornton is more of a downfield speedster, so Meyers being gone doesn’t really change things for him. Bech hasn’t shown much this season. He has just seven catches for 73 yards. That said, the Raiders haven’t given him many opportunities. He’ll now have a chance to see the field a lot more. Tight end Brock Bowers is clearly the team’s No. 1 receiver, but the Raiders need a wide receiver to step up.
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