After a tough start to the 2025 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders need to embrace the future. There was plenty of talk about a playoff push thanks to veteran acquisitions, the hiring of Super Bowl-winning coach Pete Carroll and adding experienced offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
Things have not panned out that way, and the Raiders are staring down the barrel of another year without a postseason appearance. To start building for the future, the team can begin by cashing in on some veteran assets that may not be in the long-term plans.
The number one candidate for that is wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. Meyers requested a trade just before Week 1, but has taken the professional approach by still showing up to work every day despite wanting out.
Las Vegas should now do the prudent thing and look to trade him before his contract expires at the end of the season. Several teams are lining up for Meyers’ services, but these three are the most logical trade partners for the Raiders to capitalize on their return.
Raiders' most logical trade partners for Jakobi Meyers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Raiders have made a bad habit of trading for Steelers receivers, as evidenced by Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, but it would be nice to see the shoe on the other foot. Pittsburgh has a superstar in D.K. Metcalf, but the cupboard is thin after that, so Meyers could be of great use.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is notorious for ignoring his wide receivers and deploying multiple tight ends, but the receiver position is still something that Pittsburgh needs to address. Meyers is a perfect fit for the Steelers because he can get open in short-yardage situations.
Pittsburgh also knows that it needs to take advantage of the open window in the AFC North and add some offensive firepower. Aaron Rodgers could retire after this season, and the Steelers don't have a great candidate for the future at the QB position right now. They need to strike while the iron is hot and add Meyers to the offense.
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San Francisco 49ers
It seems like no team in the NFL has been snake-bit at the wide receiver position more than the 49ers. Thanks to injuries to Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings, and Brandon Aiyuk’s slow recovery from an ACL tear, the Niners have had to rely on street free agents to round out their receiver room.
All credit to guys like Kendrick Bourne and Demarcus Robinson for playing admirably in a tough situation, but Meyers would be a vast improvement over both of those journeyman wideouts. Kyle Shanahan requires his receivers to run-block, and if Meyers is happy, he has no problem doing that.
Shanahan's scheme is also notoriously complicated for wide receivers, but a smart veteran like Meyers should have no issue picking up the offense. It may seem like the 49ers would be adding another headache, as Jennings is asking for a new contract as well, but adding some competition to the receiver group could bring out the best in him and Meyers.
New England Patriots
The final team here is perhaps the one that makes the most sense, for a number of reasons. Meyers started his career with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent back in 2019, and he was a consistent weapon for them as they cycled through quarterbacks during his tenure.
Meyers came to Las Vegas to play for Josh McDaniels, and he continued to have high-level production under him before the head coach was fired during the 2023 season. There is a strong sense of familiarity between Meyers and McDaniels, and the Patriots have made a habit of bringing back former players later in their careers.
Similar to the Steelers, the Patriots have a clear number one receiver in Stefon Diggs, but a number of question marks beyond their star. Meyers would fit in perfectly in their offense thanks to his familiarity with it, and he can help further the development of Drake Maye, who looks like a star in the making.
The Patriots also have the most picks in the 2026 NFL Draft with 10, so they have the flexibility to give the Raiders solid value for their veteran wide receiver. Of the many options for the Raiders to deal Meyers, the Patriots make the most sense in terms of fit, personnel, and potential return in the deal.