The Las Vegas Raiders trading Jakobi Meyers seemed like the most obvious move that they could make. After all, if the team wasn't going to completely blow things up, Meyers was their most valuable, yet expendable, piece who could garner an impactful return in terms of draft capital.
But other general managers weren't so sure that Meyers was getting dealt. In the weeks leading up to Tuesday's trade deadline, there were varying reports about how truly available Meyers was, what the Raiders' asking price was, and who exactly was in the market for him.
Obviously, he ended up getting dealt to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday in exchange for a 4th and a 6th-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. But as Jaguars general manager James Gladstone revealed, that is not the entire story.
John Spytek apparently played the Jakobi Meyers trade perfectly
On Wednesday, Jacksonville.com's Ryan O'Halloran spoke with Gladstone about how the deal went down. The detail Gladstone included about how fellow first-year general manager John Spytek handled the situation will ingratiate him in Raider Nation.
"It didn’t seem like they were really interested in doing anything,” Gladstone said. “And then post-game (after the Jaguars’ win), I checked in with John to see if anything had changed based off where they were at from a record standpoint (2-6). They held firm on their stance and what they wanted. We were ultimately able to come to a spot where we were able to make an offer.”
It sure sounds like Spytek skillfully manipulated other general managers into paying a higher price for Meyers than they may have gotten otherwise. The fact that he did not tip his hand about wanting to trade Meyers likely drove up the price.
RELATED: Geno Smith said what every Raiders fan was thinking about Jakobi Meyers
Spytek's holding firm on his stance and asking price was also adept, as several teams were competing for Meyers, so the Raiders held all the cards. Instead of just jumping at the first offer or getting desperate, the rookie decision-maker played the game to a T.
Raider Nation loves to hear little tidbits like this, as it gives them a peek into the inner workings of their franchise. Past general managers may not have gotten the kind of return for Meyers that Spytek was able to, and that is why having Spytek is so valuable.
With Pete Carroll being 74 years old, the 45-year-old Spytek is likely to outlast the head coach in Las Vegas. The way he handled the Jakobi Meyers situation has already won over a portion of Raider Nation, and if he keeps making moves like this, the fan base will continue to have reasons to celebrate.