No one expected the Jacksonville Jaguars to make the first big move of the day, but when they learned the fate of Travis Hunter, they knew they had to act. Just days after facing him on the field, the Jaguars sent a fourth-round and a sixth-round draft pick to Las Vegas for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
The move came only two days after Meyers helped the Raiders beat Jacksonville, creating a stunning turn of events.
How Will the Jakobi Meyers Trade Reshape the Jaguars’ Offense?
To no surprise, Meyers will immediately fly up the team’s depth chart. While many would argue the team wasn’t using Hunter to his full potential, his recent injury has derailed everything. Brian Thomas Jr. has been the top wideout, but the addition of Meyers is making some fans speculate if a change is coming for the team’s primary receiver.
While trading Thomas would be an odd move under the circumstances, the NFL is still a business. The Jaguars know what they have in him, and for what it’s worth, he did outplay Meyers in their game on November 2. Currently, Thomas is WR1, and there’s no denying the impact he’s made in a short time. For Jacksonville to even consider getting rid of the 23-year-old would be alarming, as he’s been Trevor Lawrence’s favorite target by a wide margin. Lawrence was just starting to get used to having Hunter on the field, but his injury changed everything.
Before the trade, Thomas led the way with 30 receptions for 420 yards, while Hunter had 28 catches for 298 yards. The only player on the team with two touchdowns is tight end Hunter Long, and in total, five receivers have one touchdown each. Parker Washington has proved to be a stellar sixth-round pick, as the 23-year-old is third on the team with 25 receptions for 297 yards. His 11.9 yards per reception also tops Hunter’s 10.6.
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Elsewhere on the depth chart is 26-year-old Dyami Brown, who has 19 receptions for 219 yards. Although he has three games with 50 or more yards this season, he also has three games with 15 or fewer yards. Brown’s contributions can be a toss-up, so the addition of Meyers provides much-needed stability. Keep in mind, Lawrence has a D in PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, and that grade is mostly due to a lack of weapons at wide receiver.
This is where Meyers, 28, changes things. His 33 receptions for 352 yards this season immediately make him the second-most productive receiver on the roster. There is no reason to believe the team will put Meyers ahead of Thomas, who should remain WR1, unless a trade happens later today. Until then, Lawrence’s top target will still be the 23-year-old, but with Meyers as a huge addition, those two could become one of the league’s most dynamic duos.