Jets may finally have chance at dream WR after latest trade request

The New York Jets are reportedly scouring the veteran wide receiver trade market in search of potential upgrades, and on Monday, the perfect target may have just become available.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport is reporting that Las Vegas Raiders standout Jakobi Meyers has requested a trade after contract negotiations with the team went south this week.

Meyers is entering the final year of his contract and is significantly underpaid relative to market value. While the Raiders reportedly don't plan to trade Meyers at this time, it's possible the situation could change in the near future, especially as we get closer to the trade deadline in early November.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic confirmed on Monday that the Jets "continue to scour" the wide receiver market ahead of Tuesday's roster cutdown deadline. If the Jets are willing to go big-game hunting, Meyers would be their best option.

Jakobi Meyers is the dream WR trade target for the Jets

Meyers spent the first four years of his NFL career in New England, where he developed into one of the more underrated wide receivers in football. He signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Raiders in 2023, essentially receiving the same deal the Jets gave to Allen Lazard that very offseason.

While Lazard has fallen well short of expectations in New York, Meyers continued to overachieve in Vegas. The NC State product is fresh off a career year in 2024 in which he finished with 87 catches for 1,027 yards and four touchdowns.

Meyers was targeted a whopping 126 times in 2024 and wasn't credited with a single drop. His 2.3% drop rate ranks fourth-best among all NFL wide receivers since 2020, behind only DeAndre Hopkins, Tyler Boyd, and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The problem for the Jets lies with the assets required to both acquire and then extend him. Meyers is seeking an extension, and while the specific figures he's looking for are unclear, it's likely to be a significant sum of money, given the current state of the wide receiver market.

It might not cost more than a Day 3 draft pick to trade for him, but would the Jets be willing to pay upwards of $20 million per year for a WR2 after handing Garrett Wilson over $30 million per year earlier this summer? That remains to be seen.

The Jets have made it clear that they plan to emphasize their ground game this season. The team's approach to the wide receiver position was an intentional one. They're hoping to receive adequate production from a collection of names as opposed to spending big money on a true WR2.

It's possible their roster-building mindset has shifted, especially with Meyers potentially available. The six-year NFL veteran is still only 28 years old and very much could be a part of both the team's present and future.

The Jets seem more likely to scavenge on the waiver wire in search of low-cost fliers than to invest significant money in the wide receiver position, but if they're willing to look at names on the high end of the market, Meyers is easily their best and most feasible option.

Jets may finally have chance at dream WR after latest trade request

Jakobi Meyers is the dream WR trade target for the Jets

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