The Las Vegas Raiders are still in a contract dispute with Jakobi Meyers. Yet, the club doesn’t seem eager to resolve it before Week 1. Owner Mark Davis had a flashback to the 2020 offseason when team brass made a pivotal quarterback decision that involved Tom Brady.
Raiders Daily takes a closer look at Meyers’ situation and the growing relationship between Davis and Brady.
Jakobi Meyers Has No Clarity on Contract Situation
On Wednesday, Jakobi Meyers candidly answered questions from reporters about his contract issue. Yet, he didn’t have much to say about the direction of the negotiations after his trade request.
Meyers remains open to all possibilities. For now, though, he’s willing to go about his business as usual until further notice.
In terms of average annual salary, Meyers’ contract ranks 31st among wide receivers, per Over the Cap. He has a $15 million cap number entering the final year of his deal.
Coming off his most productive season, Meyers felt he deserved a pay raise. However, his representation hasn’t been able to agree on a number with the team.
Though the Raiders’ season opener is only days away, they can extend Meyers’ deal at any time during the campaign to keep him off the free-agent market in 2026.
That said, it seems logical to settle a contract dispute with a key offensive player before kickoff on Sunday. Meyers’ willingness to keep practicing and giving full effort is commendable given the circumstances, but he’s unlikely to get a new contract without making things uncomfortable for the front office.
Read: Jakobi Meyers Requests Trade: 5 Ideal Destinations for 1,000-Yard Receiver
Mark Davis Confirms Raiders Turned Down Tom Brady in 2020
Raiders owner Mark Davis joined Talk of the Nation host Baron Davis and confirmed what many thought was a true story.
You can watch the full interview on the Raiders’ official website.
Davis wanted to sign Tom Brady when the former NFL quarterback tested free agency in 2020, but former head coach Jon Gruden and ex-general manager Mike Mayock agreed to stick with Derek Carr.
“He was supposed to be here in 2020,” Davis said. “That’s where our relationship started was in 2020, when he was a free agent, and we talked about him coming here to play quarterback. And obviously…it was a tough decision for him, and he was close to wanting to come here, but the head coach and general manager decided they wanted to go in a different direction. So, we didn’t sign him.”
Davis and Brady likely had a full-circle moment when the NFL approved of the Fox broadcast analyst’s stake in the organization. The seven-time Super Bowl champion has been involved in key decisions, and his personal trainer, Alex Guerrero, is the club’s wellness coordinator.
Brady didn’t finish his playing career with the Raiders. Ironically, he could be involved with the team’s operations for years, possibly even decades to come.
Read: NFL Predictions 2025: Projecting Win-Loss Records for All 32 NFL Teams
Raiders Are Mostly Healthy Ahead of Week 1
On Wednesday, Las Vegas released its first injury report of the season. The club listed quarterback Kenny Pickett and cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly as full participants at practice with hamstring injuries.
The Raiders penciled in Kelly as the No. 2 cornerback on their first unofficial regular-season depth chart:
When asked about the injury, Kelly said, “Hamstring’s feeling good. I’m 100% and ready to go.”
Kelly will likely start Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots on the boundary opposite cornerback Eric Stokes.
Maurice Moton covers the Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.
