Getty Las Vegas Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers.
The Las Vegas Raiders decided against being sellers this offseason as they didn’t trade away any key assets. However, they do have players who are valuable across the league.
In fact, the San Francisco 49ers were very interested in one of the team’s top offensive playmakers. According to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Mike Silver, the team attempted to trade for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers before they were able to land a contract extension with Brandon Aiyuk.
“I’ve since learned from sources inside and outside the building that the 49ers contacted numerous other teams in attempts to land a replacement for Aiyuk, sometimes exploring transactions with far lower marquee value,” Silver wrote in a September 12 column.
“For example, the Raiders, who are believed to be receptive to stockpiling picks in anticipation of positioning themselves to draft a quarterback next spring, were approached about dealing starting receiver Jakobi Meyers. The Raiders rebuffed San Francisco’s overtures for the sixth-year veteran, who caught 71 passes for 807 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023.”
It’s unclear what the 49ers would’ve been willing to offer. Meyers is a 27-year-old wide receiver who is on a reasonable contract and has consistently been productive. It’s unlikely the Raiders would’ve traded him for anything less than a second-round pick.
Will Las Vegas Raiders Be Sellers Eventually?
The Meyers angle of Silver’s report will be the most talked about, but he noted another important piece of information. According to the report, the Raiders are interested in adding draft picks so they can trade up for a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The fact that Las Vegas will be interested in a quarterback is no surprise. Gardner Minshew is a stopgap option and likely won’t be the starter past this season. However, it’s notable that the Raiders are considering trading assets to add picks.
Las Vegas is already 0-1 and if they keep losing, they have some players they could consider trading. Davante Adams would be the most obvious piece. He’s turning 32 this season and it doesn’t make sense to keep him on a rebuilding team. Michael Mayer may also be a sleeper pick as a trade candidate. The Raiders drafted Brock Bowers with the N0. 13 pick this year and he’s clearly the No. 1 tight end as he currently leads the team in receptions. Mayer is young so he could still get the Raiders a second or third-round pick.
How High Could Las Vegas Raiders Trade Up?
If the Raiders are serious about drafting a quarterback, they need to try and get the highest pick possible. Georgia’s Carson Beck looks like the prize of the class and could be the No. 1 overall pick.
Las Vegas may not be bad enough this season to finish with a top-10 pick, which will make it difficult to get a quarterback. The lower their draft pick, the bigger the price will be to move up. If a team that doesn’t need a quarterback gets the No. 1 pick, the Raiders will have an easier time moving up but if a quarterback-needy team does get the No. 1 pick, there’s not really much Las Vegas can do. The Raiders need to hope that some things fall in their favor this year or they could be in a similar situation next year.
Getty Las Vegas Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers.
The Las Vegas Raiders decided against being sellers this offseason as they didn’t trade away any key assets. However, they do have players who are valuable across the league.
In fact, the San Francisco 49ers were very interested in one of the team’s top offensive playmakers. According to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Mike Silver, the team attempted to trade for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers before they were able to land a contract extension with Brandon Aiyuk.
“I’ve since learned from sources inside and outside the building that the 49ers contacted numerous other teams in attempts to land a replacement for Aiyuk, sometimes exploring transactions with far lower marquee value,” Silver wrote in a September 12 column.
“For example, the Raiders, who are believed to be receptive to stockpiling picks in anticipation of positioning themselves to draft a quarterback next spring, were approached about dealing starting receiver Jakobi Meyers. The Raiders rebuffed San Francisco’s overtures for the sixth-year veteran, who caught 71 passes for 807 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023.”
It’s unclear what the 49ers would’ve been willing to offer. Meyers is a 27-year-old wide receiver who is on a reasonable contract and has consistently been productive. It’s unlikely the Raiders would’ve traded him for anything less than a second-round pick.
Will Las Vegas Raiders Be Sellers Eventually?
The Meyers angle of Silver’s report will be the most talked about, but he noted another important piece of information. According to the report, the Raiders are interested in adding draft picks so they can trade up for a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The fact that Las Vegas will be interested in a quarterback is no surprise. Gardner Minshew is a stopgap option and likely won’t be the starter past this season. However, it’s notable that the Raiders are considering trading assets to add picks.
Las Vegas is already 0-1 and if they keep losing, they have some players they could consider trading. Davante Adams would be the most obvious piece. He’s turning 32 this season and it doesn’t make sense to keep him on a rebuilding team. Michael Mayer may also be a sleeper pick as a trade candidate. The Raiders drafted Brock Bowers with the N0. 13 pick this year and he’s clearly the No. 1 tight end as he currently leads the team in receptions. Mayer is young so he could still get the Raiders a second or third-round pick.
How High Could Las Vegas Raiders Trade Up?
If the Raiders are serious about drafting a quarterback, they need to try and get the highest pick possible. Georgia’s Carson Beck looks like the prize of the class and could be the No. 1 overall pick.
Las Vegas may not be bad enough this season to finish with a top-10 pick, which will make it difficult to get a quarterback. The lower their draft pick, the bigger the price will be to move up. If a team that doesn’t need a quarterback gets the No. 1 pick, the Raiders will have an easier time moving up but if a quarterback-needy team does get the No. 1 pick, there’s not really much Las Vegas can do. The Raiders need to hope that some things fall in their favor this year or they could be in a similar situation next year.
