Early in the offseason, it was clear that Jakobi Meyers wanted to get a long-term deal done and remain a Las Vegas Raider beyond the final year of his contract in 2025. When asked about his future way back in August, he had a concise response.
"As much as they want me here. That’s really all I can say about that," Meyers said.
Shortly after that, with contract talks going nowhere, Meyers formally requested a trade. He then told the media that the team denied his trade request, so the two sides were left to try and work things out as the 2025 NFL season progressed.
Meyers started the season in solid fashion, with 14 catches on 22 targets over the first two games. In four games since, he has totaled just 15 catches on 21 targets, and Tre Tucker has usurped him as the Raiders' No. 1 wide receiver. He has not gotten to 40 receiving yards in three straight games.
Trade idea sends Jakobi Meyers to an unlikely landing spot
As the November 4 trade deadline creeps closer, potential suitors for Meyers are surfacing on a regular basis. In a more direct sense, contending teams who find themselves thin at wide receiver would likely be the most prominent suitors.
This week, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports put together a list of 10 trades that should happen before the deadline. One of the proposed deals, of course, involved Meyers, but with a landing spot that is outside the box: the Carolina Panthers.
"Are we sleeping on Carolina at 3-3? The Panthers are such a tough read given Bryce Young's volatility under center, but they're not out of the picture in the NFC South, and theoretically, they should still be in hot pursuit of anyone who can help accelerate Young's growth," Benjamin wrote. "Meyers lacks a long-term place with the Las Vegas Raiders, but he's the kind of proven route-runner Adam Thielen once was for the Panthers. He may not stretch the field at this point in his career, but as a savvy rental to pair with rookie Tetairoa McMillan, you could do a lot worse."
RELATED: Michael Mayer said what every Raiders fan needed to hear about Geno Smith
The Panthers are a fairly surprising 3-3 so far this season, and they've won two in a row heading into another winnable game in Week 7 against the New York Jets. A 30-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons looks impressive, but they had to come back to beat the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, and they won a back-and-forth game against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6, so they could use some help.
Meyers played his college ball at North Carolina State, but other than that, it's hard to see the Panthers being among his preferred teams to be traded to, although it wouldn't necessarily matter. The Raiders should also be able to find a better trade offer for him, and the Panthers may not be inclined to surrender draft capital for a likely rental player anyway.
It is becoming clear that Meyers' time as a Raider could be quickly winding down. The Panthers are outside the box among potential trade suitors, but if they view themselves as a contender, never say never in terms of them making an offer the Raiders can't turn down.