The Las Vegas Raiders offense has a chance to be one of the most underrated in the NFL. The team has a lot of offensive players who are flying under the radar.
However, there’s one who may stand out amongst all of them. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent and has developed into a borderline star.
He broke 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career last year, and with the Raiders not adding a true upgrade at wide receiver, Meyers figures to have another big season. Jonathon Marci of Pro Football Focus named Meyers as the Raiders’ most underrated player.
“The Raiders relied heavily on Davante Adams as their top receiver during his time with the team, and over the past two years with Meyers on the roster, Adams earned nearly 200 targets across 20 games,” Marci wrote. “With Adams gone since Week 3 of 2024, Meyers really stepped up, earning 108 targets and going for 875 receiving yards and 1.87 yards per route run to rank second on the team, behind only Brock Bowers.
“Meyers has established himself as a reliable second option in the passing game for the Raiders, ranking 39th in PFF receiving grade (78.2) and 17th in total targets (232) among 147 qualifying wide receivers since 2023.”
Meyers Needs a New Contract
Meyers has proven that he’s an important player for the Raiders. At 28, he should have at least a few more seasons of being a productive player.
However, he only has one more year remaining on his contract. He may not be worth a top-of-the-market contract, but he could command something that pays him closer to $20 million a year.
Luckily for the Raiders, Meyers wouldn’t be opposed to signing a new contract with the team, according to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden.
“He is entering the final year of a three-year, $33 million deal that he signed in 2023, and has a cap hit of $14.98 million in 2025,” McFadden wrote last month. “However, Meyers doesn’t have any guaranteed money remaining on his contract.
“Meyers is open to getting a new deal done because he would like to be a Raider for the long term, according to a source with direct knowledge.”
The Raiders have been reluctant to hand out contract extensions to returning players not named Maxx Crosby, but Meyers has shown enough to get more security. The fact that he previously played with Tom Brady on the New England Patriots should help his chances.
Can Meyers Be a WR1?
It takes time for undrafted players to get fully respected as stars. Had Meyers been a second-round pick, he’d likely be much more well-regarded around the NFL.
If the Raiders don’t add any more wide receiver help this offseason, Meyers will almost certainly be their No. 1 wide receiver this season. Meyers is considered a high-end No. 2 option, but he’ll be thrust into a big role.
Tight end Brock Bowers is the Raiders’ top receiving option, but that doesn’t mean Meyers won’t get a ton of looks. If he has another 1,000-yard season and doesn’t get a new contract, he’ll be in for a big payday next year.
