Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown (30) tackles Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) during the second half at Allegiant Stadium.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have acquired wide receiver Jakobi Meyers in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 4, the Jaguars announced on social media. But why did they do it?

Jacksonville is sending two picks – a fourth- and a sixth-rounder – to Las Vegas in exchange for a needed reinforcement at the wide receiver position.

Rookie phenom Travis Hunter hit injured reserve before Week 9 with a knee injury, meaning he's set to miss at least three more games. Second-year wideout Brian Thomas Jr. is dealing with a low-grade high ankle sprain that he suffered in the fourth quarter of the Jaguars' Nov. 2 win over the Raiders.

Thomas had also been dealing with a shoulder injury prior to his recent ankle ailment.

With nine weeks left in the regular season, the Jaguars are 5-3 and sit in the final playoff spot in the AFC after their Week 9 win and the Kansas City Chiefs' loss. Jacksonville also sits a game and a half behind the Indianapolis Colts for the top spot in the AFC South.

Here's a closer look at why the Jaguars traded for Meyers before the 2025 NFL trade deadline:

Why did the Jaguars trade for Jakobi Meyers?

Jacksonville is in a good spot to make the playoffs at the midway point of the 2025 season.

They'd be holding the No. 7 seed in the AFC if the season ended after Week 9, and they're a game and a half behind the Colts for first place in the AFC South.

But Jacksonville has been dealing with injuries to its top receivers in recent weeks.

Hunter, their No. 2 overall pick, sustained a non-contact knee injury and landed on the injured reserve before Week 9. He'll miss at least three more games.

Thomas, their second-year receiver, one year removed from a breakout rookie season, was on last week's practice report with a shoulder injury. Then he sustained a low-grade high ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of the Jaguars' win over the Raiders on Nov. 2.

In addition to needing receiver help, the Jaguars had enough draft capital to be aggressive at the deadline. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jacksonville entered the day with 13 projected draft picks – even after trading away their 2026 first-round pick to draft Hunter earlier this year.

Even after the trade, the Jaguars will have 11 picks to work with in next year's draft, and now they have the receiver help they needed with one of the top names in the trade market.

Meyers led the Raiders in targets (49) before the trade and has 352 yards on 33 catches so far this season. He has yet to find the end zone, but that will likely change given his new spot as a top-two receiver in Jacksonville's offense before Hunter returns from injury.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why did the Jaguars trade for Jakobi Meyers at the NFL trade deadline?

Reporting by Jack McKessy, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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