The Raiders and Jakobi Meyers have reached an apparent stalemate in contract negotiations, and the veteran wide receiver acknowledged this week he isn’t overly optimistic the team wants to pay him beyond this year.
Given the Raiders’ lack of experience at wide receiver, and the fact they have only four wideouts currently on the 53-man roster, Meyers could put the team in a terrible position if he decides to hold out.
But it doesn’t sound like Meyers plans to hold out, and the Raiders seem to believe he’s not going to do it.
If true that he’s not willing to hold out, Meyers is handing the Raiders a tremendous amount of leverage and flexibility, and it could cost him a new deal – at least for the next few months.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vinny Bonsignore talked about that dynamic this week on his Raiders’ podcast.
“From the club’s perspective… what’s going to persuade them to come off of their position of what they think he’s worth when in their mind they know that he’s going to do exactly what his job is and he’s going to be a professional about it, a consummate professional about it, and he’s not going to take this any further other than acknowledging the situation through words,” Bonsignore said on the Vegas Nation First and 10 podcast.
“We talked to John Spytek about it last week, and he’s like, ‘We’ve had many conversations. He’s going to be a pro, and we expect him to be a pro and nothing less than that, and I don’t expect anything less from him.'”
Whether he gets a deal or not, there’s no question Meyers has been everything the Raiders hoped he would be when they signed him in March of 2023.
If Meyers decides to reverse course and hold out, the Raiders will have a nightmare situation on their hands. They can’t afford to go into the regular season without him, especially after seeing Amari Cooper jump ship on Thursday.
According to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, the sides aren’t particularly with their numbers, and the Raiders seem content to wait until the trade deadline to make a decision on Meyers’ future.
Bonsignore commented on that dynamic this week, as well.
“If this season goes sideways, [Meyers will be] much easier to trade for [under his current deal],” Bonsignore said, adding that Meyers could be a popular trade target at this year’s trade deadline.
It’s possible something will change in the hours leading up to the regular season opener, but for now, it sounds like a new deal for Meyers is a long shot to happen anytime soon.
x: @raidersbeat
Is there any receivers of his skill set available right now??? Geno and him has a repore so no one is able to come in and start. Jakobi know the play book. 3 yr extension now. Before he blows up and deman more on the market.
The reason he hasn’t been signed to a new deal is no one wants him for what he is asking. A couple teams tried but didn’t want to give anything more than a 6th round pick. So the Raiders are like no one wants you so take what we offer. He only #1 wr o a few teams on most he’s a 2nd wr and some av3rd wr. So you can’t pay him top 10 wr $
Good receiver, plays hard however he’s not a 25+ guy. He’s at best a 2 at worst a 3. Just like last year’s situation with DA he should’ve been dealt during or b4 the draft. If he plays out the year and somebody gives him more than 15 we will get a 4th rd comp pick or maybe a 3rd. If Bech and Thornton are the now and the future we are probably in trouble. We should be running a lot of 12 personnel or 13 to get enough blockers for Jeanty and a the short passing / play action game. If we’re 3 wide that means we’re probably behind.
pay the man
I wish we had a little more information regarding what they have offered him. I know that’s not possible, but it could give us a glimpse behind which one (team or player) is being non-negotiable. I can’t imagine the team ever paying him at a top WR rate due to him not getting any action on the market.
Its easy he has zero leverage its a contract year he needs to play and play well if not he’s not going to make big money on his next contract he is not a #1 receiver anywhere but here , and he’s not the #1 option here either it’s Bowers. Bech was gonna be his replacement all along and I dont see him being back next year . And no teams gonna pay him 25-30m a year .