The Jacksonville Jaguars just made it clear that they won't be trading Brian Thomas Jr. and instead expect him to turn the corner. But even if the 2024 first-round pick puts it all together, the Jags could still use reinforcements at wide receiver.
The good news is that the Jags have time to acquire help via trade before the November 4 deadline. In fact, an intriguing option remains available, and the team's brass may want to use their Week 9 game against the Las Vegas Raiders to give it an extensive look.
The Jaguars must keep tabs on Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers
Jakobi Meyers is in a contract season and is looking for an extension. It looks like the Raiders aren't willing to grant his request. That's the seventh-year receiver to openly say that he remains professional but doesn't mind if he gets traded.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Las Vegas will only deal Meyers if it gets a strong offer, noting that said offer hasn't materialized.
From an outside perspective, it's unknown what kind of compensation the Raiders are looking for, but it's hard to see them getting more than a third-rounder for a player everyone knows isn't part of their long-term plans. It's also worth noting that Las Vegas just signed receiver Tyler Lockett, so it's possible that it's bracing itself for Meyers' potential departure.
Regardless of the price tag, the Jaguars shouldn't hesitate to give the Raiders a call. After all, they could use a boost at receiver even after Travis Hunter's breakout game. They've dealt with drops through the season, and Meyers is as reliable as they come in that department.
Dating back to 2020, the former North Carolina State Wolfpack has a drop rate of 2.3 percent, the fourth-best figure among receivers with 350 targets or more. Couple that with the fact that Meyers had his best season under Jacksonville receivers coach Edgar Bennett (when he held the same position in Las Vegas), and he would give the Jacksonville wide receiver corps an immediate boost.
Why Jakobi Meyers would be great for the Jaguars
Under general manager James Gladstone, the Jaguars haven't been afraid to move on from underachievers or trade for help to address immediate needs. This is why nobody will bat an eye if they are active ahead of the NFL deadline. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Jacksonville is looking for defensive help, but if they want to add reinforcements at receiver, Jakobi Meyers is an intriguing option.
The reason is that the Jags will face Las Vegas in Week 9, a couple days before the deadline. This is noteworthy because hours after they played the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 of the preseason, they traded for defensive tackle Khalen Saunders Sr.
The precedent to trade for players from teams they just faced is there. Now, there are no reports that Jacksonville is actively looking for reinforcements at receiver, let alone that it's setting its sights on Jakobi Meyers. That said, the possibility shouldn't be ruled out.
After all, the Jaguars will need all the help they can get if they want to make a playoff push.