Recent performance puts Raiders trade chip back in play

The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot to consider after their blowout loss to the Washington Commanders last week.

One of them is the state of their receiving corps. Tre Tucker had a breakout game with eight receptions for 145 receiving yards and three touchdowns, although two came when the game was well out of reach. Dont’e Thornton Jr. has also received a consistent role on offense, while Jack Bech could be in line for an extended role at tight end after Michael Mayer’s injury.

That leaves Jakobi Meyers with some questions about his long-term status with the Raiders, and those same questions popped up once again.

Meyers has found himself right back in the trade rumors again.

The Raiders can quickly change their tune on trading Meyers if the losses continue to pile up and receivers such as Tucker continue to break out, and ESPN’s Dan Graziano mentioned the Pittsburgh Steelers as a potential fit.

“I feel the Steelers have pivoted a bit, and if they make an in-season move, it would more likely be to help their struggling defense,” Graziano wrote.

“But since you were asking about receivers, I remember Jakobi Meyers asking for a new contract from the Raiders in the offseason and then asking to be traded when he didn’t get one. If Las Vegas tumbles out of contention and he’s not in its long-term plans, he could help someone down the stretch.”

If the Raiders do decide to honor Meyers’s trade request, it is unlikely that they would have teams breaking the bank for him.

Last season, the Raiders only got a third-round pick out of the New York Jets for Davante Adams, who was a much bigger name. Even heading towards the trade deadline, popular players such as Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins are not expected to fetch any higher than a second-round pick. Between Meyers’ pending free agency and the fact he has already requested a trade, it is unlikely that the Raiders will get any more than a Day Three pick out of any interested teams.

With the situation still evolving rapidly, Meyers is going to be an interesting conversation moving forward.