Deadlines spur action, and the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't hesitate to bolster their depth at wide receiver with a trade for Jakobi Meyers. Granted, the move didn't precisely come out of nowhere.
After all, the Jags had been linked to Meyers for a while, and with injuries depleting the wide receiver corps, it only made sense that they traded for the best possible option. Adam Schefter reported that Jacksonville sent fourth and sixth-round picks to the Las Vegas Raiders in return for the former North Carolina State Wolfpack.
In Jacksonville, Meyers is reunited with wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett, who oversaw his best season as a pro in 2024 when he hauled in 87 receptions for 1,027 yards with four touchdowns. Now, the Jags have a legitimate starter opposite Brian Thomas Jr., who can also line up in the slot to create mismatches.
With this in mind, here are the biggest winners and losers from the Jakobi Meyers trade:
Jaguars winner No. 1: Trevor Lawrence
Trevor Lawrence came through against the Raiders despite the fact that he was running out of healthy receivers to throw to: Brian Thomas Jr. briefly left the game, Dyami Brown suffered a concussion, and Tim Patrick has been dealing with a nagging groin injury. Couple that with the fact that No. 16 was dealing with the flu, and you can make the case that he made chicken salad with the equivalent of cardboard and lard.
With Travis Hunter expected to miss at least four weeks, Lawrence gets a reliable target, one who won't drop the ball. Last year, Meyers had a 0.0 percent drop rate, and has one of the lowest figures in the league dating back to 2020.
If Lawrence truly turns the switch in the second half, the trade for Meyers could turn out to be huge.
Jaguars loser No. 1: Dyami Brown
Dyami Brown got off to a hot start to the season, hauling in eight catches for 109 yards with one touchdown. However, he's cooled down significantly since then, hauling in 110 yards on 10 catches the past five games. Couple that with the fact that injuries have hampered the former North Carolina Tar Heel, and it's easy to see why the Jaguars traded for Jakobi Meyers.
With Meyers in the fold, Brown will see his playing time decrease even if he's back at full strength. The silver lining is that he may be better suited for a complementary role. On the other hand, he wasn't able to increase his stock in a contract season.
Jaguars winners No. 2: Edgar Bennett
The Jaguars replaced most position coaches when they brought in Liam Coen. At receiver, they cut ties with Chad Hall and hired Edgar Bennett. One of the biggest reasons his arrival earned positive reviews was his work with Jakobi Meyers with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Although Meyers was a fine player for the New England Patriots, he didn't truly hit his stride until Bennett took him under his wing. Now, the duo is together once again, and the Jaguars will benefit from it.
Jaguars loser No. 2: James Gladstone
James Gladstone had no choice but to trade for help at receiver in light of all the injuries the Jags have been dealing with. He gets points for that. On the other hand, he had to fix his own mistakes. Dating back to the offseason, the wide receiver corps didn't precisely have depth.
It took Gladstone until the headline to add Jakobi Meyers, and because other teams were pursuing him, he had to pay more than he would've liked. On the other hand, the Jags had 13 draft picks prior to the trade, and Meyers fixes an immediate need, so if he lives up to expectations, it won't matter what Jacksonville had to give up for him.