There was plenty of speculation about what the Las Vegas Raiders would do leading up to Tuesday's trade deadline. Several players' names were floated as candidates who could be moved, while there was also the thought that they could add talent if the right young player was made available.
Sitting at 2-6, there was really no need for the Raiders to be buyers unless it involved a low-cost deal for a player who could be a part of the future. The front office wound up only making one move, as they shipped disgruntled wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who is set for free agency after the season, to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a pair of Day 3 picks in next year's draft.
The deal seemed inevitable after Meyers requested a trade before the season and reiterated his desire to be moved a few weeks back. It turns out, however, that the seventh-year veteran was not fully opposed to remaining in Las Vegas.
Jakobi Meyers confuses Raiders fans with comments on staying in Las Vegas
Meyers was hoping to receive a new contract ahead of the season after a career year in 2024. But after he was unable to come to terms with the new brass on a deal, he made it clear that he was hoping to be traded.
While the wide receiver never budged from his wish before Tuesday's deal, and told reporters as such several times, his first comments as a member of the Jaguars suggested that he was actually open to staying in Las Vegas when asked if he thought getting traded was a real possibility.
"A little bit, but I wasn't 100% certain (that I would be moved), right? So, I was just kind of floating with the wind. So, whatever they told me, I was going to go out there and do," Meyers said. "If they would have told me I was going to stay, that would have been cool because I got family there, too. Honestly, friends, teammates who I really was cool with, but I'm 100% happy about this opportunity, too."
RELATED: Geno Smith said what every Raiders fan was thinking about Jakobi Meyers
Meyers' comments will surely confuse Raiders fans, as he was the one who requested a trade in the first place. In any case, the move to trade the wideout was the right call, as he is a pending free agent and Las Vegas is clearly going nowhere this season.
While it is unclear if the Jaguars will allow him to reach free agency, it appears he left on positive terms with the Raiders. If the Jacksonville front office views him as a long-term piece, they could sign him to the extension that he wanted, and everyone may end up happy.
In any case, the Raiders need to embrace a rebuild and, thankfully, appear to be doing so. Las Vegas is projected to have 10 picks in the upcoming draft, including six in the first four rounds, so they can thank Meyers for that, even if he might not have minded staying in Sin City.