New England Patriots - NESN.com
As the New England Patriots navigate the 2025 NFL season with second-year quarterback Drake Maye showing flashes of brilliance, including a standout Week 6 performance against the New Orleans Saints with 261 yards and three touchdowns, the team still seeks more consistent offensive firepower. Jakobi Meyers, a proven wide receiver currently mired in a disappointing Raiders campaign, has already requested a trade amid contract tensions. Bringing Meyers back to Foxborough could give Maye a dependable target to elevate the passing game.
Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker suggested the Pats as a trade fit for Meyers this week. “During his stint in Las Vegas, Meyers has overcome highly questionable quarterbacking to still play like an above-average receiver,” Locker wrote.
“In fact, since 2023, Meyers owns an 80.3 PFF receiving grade while dropping just five passes — tied for the fewest among receivers with 200 or more targets in that span. This season, Meyers has earned a 69.5 PFF receiving grade and averaged a career-best 5.6 yards after the catch per reception.”
“Pete Carroll’s first season with the Raiders has been a disaster, with the team having only an 8% chance to make the playoffs through five games,” Locker continued. “With Meyers on an expiring deal and Las Vegas drafting both Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. in April, the veteran could be expendable. … Josh McDaniels could be interested in a reunion with Meyers in New England.”
Locker suggested three other fits for Meyers: the San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Denver Broncos. For the Patriots, however, Meyers stands out as an ideal addition. Meyers’ low drop rate and yards-after-catch prowess could open up the offense, allowing Maye to build confidence and stretch defenses. At 28, Meyers fits the timeline for a rebuilding Patriots squad aiming for playoff contention, potentially costing just a mid-round pick in a seller’s market.
Meyers entered the league as an undrafted free agent from NC State in 2019, signing with the Patriots and quickly emerging as a reliable slot receiver. Over four seasons in New England, he amassed 235 receptions for 2,758 yards and eight touchdowns, proving his value in a quarterback carousel that included Cam Newton and Mac Jones.
In 2023, Meyers signed a three-year deal with the Raiders, where he continued producing despite inconsistent playcalling and signal-callers, posting 71 catches for 807 yards and eight scores in his debut year there, followed by 87 receptions for 1,027 yards and four touchdowns in 2024.
This 2025 season, through six games, Meyers has recorded 29 receptions for 329 yards without a touchdown, yet his efficiency remains solid amid the Raiders’ 2-4 start.
He has averaged a career-best 5.6 yards after the catch per reception, demonstrating his ability to create after the ball arrives. The Raiders’ struggles, combined with Meyers’ expiring contract, make him a prime trade candidate, and the Patriots have reason to swoop in.
