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Las Vegas Raiders News & Rumors

Raiders Rumors: Meyers, Stokes, JPJ

November 1st, 2025 at 1:08pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Raiders have placed a high asking price on wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, but that hasn’t stopped other teams from inquiring about his availability before Tuesday’s trade deadline. Buffalo and Pittsburgh (previously reported) are among the teams that have called Las Vegas, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.

Although Meyers will be a free agent after the season, the Raiders are seeking a Day 2 draft pick in return for the soon-to-be 29-year-old. Meyers set career highs with 87 catches, 129 targets, and 1,027 yards during a four-touchdown showing in 2024. His numbers have dipped this year with new starting quarterback Geno Smith running the offense. Six games into his season, Meyers has hauled in 29 of 43 targets for 329 yards and gone without a TD.

Despite Meyers’ drop in production, it’s hardly a shock that the Bills and Steelers have checked in on him ahead of deadline day. Both AFC contenders have been aggressively seeking wideouts.

Outside of slot target Khalil Shakir, Bills receivers have failed to step up. Meanwhile, the Steelers are lacking a proven WR2 behind D.K. Metcalf. The Bills ($1.67MM) and Steelers ($5.89MM) are low in available spending space, meaning either would have to get creative to add Meyers. He’s playing out the year on a $10.5MM base salary and a $14.962MM cap hit.

Aside from Meyers, Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes and guard Jackson Powers-Johnson have also drawn interest, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. Stokes is a pending free agent on a last-place team, but the Raiders have told inquiring clubs that they’re uninterested in trading him. The former Packer joined the Raiders on a one-year deal last March and has started in all six of his appearances this year. Stokes is second among Raiders cornerbacks in snap share, while Pro Football Focus ranks his performance a solid 38th among 113 qualifiers at his position.

The Raiders may be more amenable to moving Powers-Johnson, per Breer. While he’s not far removed from going in the second round of the 2024 draft, that was under the previous regime of general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce.

A former Oregon Duck, Powers-Johnson won the Rimington Trophy as the best center in college football in 2023. Working at center and guard as a rookie last year, he started in 14 of 15 appearances. Powers-Johnson’s role has changed this season under new head coach Pete Carroll, who has used him exclusively at guard. The 22-year-old has started in five of six games, but Carroll benched him for Alex Cappa in a 31-0 loss to the Chiefs in Week 7. With the Raiders coming out of their bye and set to face the Jaguars on Sunday in their last game before the deadline, Powers-Johnson’s usage will be worth monitoring.

Raiders Not Interested In Trading TE Michael Mayer

October 30th, 2025 at 5:36pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Raiders are open for business when it comes to their top wideout, it sounds like the team isn’t as willing to deal their backup tight end. SI.com’s Albert Breer acknowledges that Michael Mayer would be a logical trade target, but the reporter cautions that the Raiders have no interest in trading the former second-round pick.

[RELATED: Raiders Want Day 2 Pick For Jakobi Meyers]

Trade rumblings about Mayer date back to this past offseason, and for good reason. First-round tight end Brock Bowers was coming off a prolific rookie campaign, and it made some sense for the Raiders front office to capitalize on their depth at the position.

Mayer ended up sticking around through the offseason and has played a crucial role for Las Vegas in 2025. While the former second-round pick missed two games and was limited in another, he’s still filled in admirably while Bowers has been sidelined with a knee injury. In five starts this season, Mayer has hauled in 12 catches for 107 yards and one touchdown.

Mayer only has a year-plus remaining on his contract, and assuming he won’t garner a second deal from the organization, it would make some sense for the Raiders to start sniffing around at some trade possibilities. TE3 Ian Thomas hasn’t done a whole lot in his limited showing, but with Bowers expected to be back in the lineup for Week 9, the team may not be as concerned about their positional depth moving forward.

While Mayer hasn’t lived up to his draft billing, the Georgia product has still proven that he can coexist with Bowers in the lineup. Pro Football Focus has also elevated him to a top-15 tight end in 2025, although the site still isn’t particularly fond of his blocking ability. Perhaps things change this upcoming offseason, but for the time being, it sounds like Mayer will be sticking in Las Vegas through the 2025 campaign.

Raiders Open Practice Window For Aidan O’Connell

October 29th, 2025 at 11:45am CST by Connor Byrne

Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell has been out all season with a fractured wrist, but a return may be on the horizon. The Raiders opened the signal-caller’s practice window on Wednesday, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. They’ll have 21 days to activate O’Connell from IR.

A fourth-round pick from Purdue in 2023, O’Connell combined for 17 starts through last season under former head coach Antonio Pierce. O’Connell completed 62.6% of passes with 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions during his first two NFL seasons, but that wasn’t enough to keep his starting job.

With new head coach Pete Carroll at the helm, he reunited with ex-Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith in an offseason trade. The Raiders gave up a third-round selection for Smith and quickly signed him to a two-year, $75MM extension, making him the team’s unquestioned QB1.

Smith’s arrival left O’Connell as the Raiders’ backup, but his injury in their preseason finale threw a wrench into those plans. The Raiders subsequently traded for another veteran QB, Kenny Pickett, whom they acquired from the Browns for a 2026 fifth-rounder.

The investments in Smith and Pickett haven’t paid off for the Raiders, who are off to a 2-5 start and sitting in last place in an otherwise loaded AFC West division. With more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (seven), Smith ranks 30th in the league in QBR. The team pulled him for Pickett in a 31-0 blowout loss to the Chiefs in Week 7. Pickett attempted his first two passes of the year in that game and completed them for a total of eight yards.

With the Raiders now coming off their bye week, Smith is still the starter heading into Sunday’s game against Jacksonville. If Smith continues to struggle mightily over the next few weeks, perhaps Pickett or O’Connell (or both) will see time under center later in the season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/28/25

October 28th, 2025 at 8:44pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad transactions from across the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Steelers have seen injuries ravage their secondary in recent weeks. They made a big move not long ago to address the position, but Forrest comes in with some additional experience, providing depth at safety.

The 49ers are letting go of Parker, a former third-round pick who failed to find success with the Raiders, in order to make room for Dillard, a former first-round pick who failed to ever establish himself as a full-time starter in the NFL. Dillard spent the offseason with San Francisco, eventually getting released from injured reserve with an injury settlement. He’s been a free agent ever since and now signs his first ever practice squad deal.

After getting signed to the Commanders’ practice squad to fill in for an injured Matt Gay last night, Wright returns to free agency. In a low-scoring Sunday night affair, Wright made his only kick — a single extra point attempt.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/27/25

October 27th, 2025 at 7:17pm CST by Connor Byrne

Here are Monday’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Cleveland Browns

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

  • Claimed off waivers (from Packers): TE Ben Sims

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

With James Conner done for the year after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in Week 3 and Trey Benson on IR with a knee malady since Oct. 1, Carter leads the Cardinals with 35 carries. He has rushed for an inefficient 97 yards (2.8 per attempt), though, and could only muster 11 on seven carries in a Week 7 loss to the Packers.

The Cardinals, who will come off their bye in Week 9 to face the Cowboys, are now down to two RBs in Emari Demercado and Zonovan Knight. They also have D’Ernest Johnson and Jermar Jefferson on their practice squad. Benson will be eligible to return in Week 10.

Raiders Want Day 2 Pick For Jakobi Meyers

October 27th, 2025 at 2:54pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The NFL’s trade market is heating up ahead of next week’s deadline, but the wide receiver position is not drawing as much action as past years.

Teams have expressed interest in young stars like Jaylen Waddle and Chris Olave, but their teams have no interest in moving them. The best wideout available is probably Jakobi Meyers, who is entering the last year of his contract with the Raiders.

Meyers requested a trade before the regular season after failed extension talks with the team, but rescinded the request shortly after. The Raiders are reportedly listening to offers, but the scarcity of proven wideouts on the market could drive up their asking price. Their starting point is a Day 2 pick, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, and there are teams interested. Getting offers from multiple could raise Las Vegas’ demands further.

That is an expensive deal for a rental, but Meyers might be worth it. He has been uber-consistent in his career with at least four receptions and 50 yards per game since becoming a starter in 2020. He’s versatile to line up in the slot or out wide and has an adaptable skillset that can fit in almost any offense.

However, he is turning 30 years old next year, which will limit an acquiring team’s interest in an extension. He could be worth a short-term pact to an offense with a young, inexpensive receiving corps that could use his all-around abilities.

Trade compensation for wide receivers has been difficult to judge over the last few years. Davante Adams and Amari Cooper were both traded for third-round picks at last year’s deadline, but DeAndre Hopkins was moved for a fifth-rounder. Meyers’ pedigree is not as strong as any of those players, so it seems unlikely that the Raiders will get their desired compensation.

Raiders Sign WR Tyler Lockett

October 27th, 2025 at 8:56am CST by Adam La Rose

Tyler Lockett‘s time with the Titans came to an end last week. The veteran wideout’s request to be release was granted, allowing him to hit the open market.

In short order, Lockett’s next gig has been lined up. A deal is in place with the Raiders, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. He adds Lockett will officially sign later today, putting him in line to make his Vegas debut as early as Week 9. The move has now taken place.

This news comes as little surprise. Lockett’s first 10 campaigns took place as a member of the Seahawks before he was cut this offseason. Much of that time in Seattle allowed him to overlap with Pete Carroll, who is now in place as the Raiders’ head coach. A reunion between the two is now in store to close out the 2025 season.

Lockett, 33, topped 1,000 yards each year from 2019-22 but saw his production decline over the course of his final two Seattle campaigns. Upon being released, the former Pro Bowler took a one-year, $4MM deal with the Titans. Tennessee has struggled on offense with rookie quarterback Cam Ward, though, and Lockett totaled just 70 scoreless yards during his brief tenure there. He will look to rebound in Vegas ahead of reaching the open market once again next spring.

The Raiders are among the teams in line to adopt a seller’s stance ahead of the trade deadline. Wideout Jakobi Meyers in particular could be on the move as contending teams look for rental additions to close out the campaign. It will be interesting to see if the Lockett addition has an impact on Vegas’ willingness to move on from Meyers over the coming days.

The Raiders have struggled across the board on offense this season, and improving during the post-bye portion of their schedule will be a key priority. Lockett will look to contribute on that front during the second half of the season. Finding success in that role could earn him an extended stay in Vegas and a more permanent second stint working with Carroll.

2025 Injured Reserve Return Tracker

October 25th, 2025 at 8:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 26 are eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations at that point.

Here is how the 32 teams’ activation puzzles look for Week 10:

Arizona Cardinals

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Baltimore Ravens

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Buffalo Bills

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Carolina Panthers

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Chicago Bears

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Cincinnati Bengals

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Cleveland Browns

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 7

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Denver Broncos

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Detroit Lions

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 8

Green Bay Packers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Houston Texans

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Jacksonville Jaguars

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 7

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activations remaining: 6

Las Vegas Raiders

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Los Angeles Chargers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Los Angeles Rams

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 8

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Minnesota Vikings

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

New England Patriots

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

New Orleans Saints

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Giants

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Pittsburgh Steelers

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

San Francisco 49ers

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Seattle Seahawks

Designated for return (Aug. 26):

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 8

Tennessee Titans

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Washington Commanders

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Raiders Aren’t Shopping Maxx Crosby

October 25th, 2025 at 8:16pm CST by Ben Levine

OCTOBER 25: Owner Mark Davis spoke about Crosby after the fall league meeting. He reiterated (via Pelissero’s colleagues Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo) his stance and that of the team has not changed with respect to a trade in this case. While interest will no doubt continue to be shown, Crosby can still be expected to remain in Vegas moving forward.

OCTOBER 21: Maxx Crosby isn’t going anywhere. While the Raiders could be open to moving some significant pieces, the team doesn’t have any intention of trading their defensive star. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Raiders met with Crosby today and told the pass rusher they’re neither shopping nor trading him.

Following a report earlier this morning that the Cowboys had made inquires on Crosby’s availability, Pelissero notes that rival teams do indeed have interest in acquiring the four-time Pro Bowler. That probably goes without saying when it comes to a player of Crosby’s caliber, and it would simply be a continuation of this past offseason when teams (including the Seahawks and Patriots) were rebuffed in their attempts to acquire the star. No matter how many suitors line up for Crosby’s services, it sounds like the Raiders refuse to budge.

Perhaps best of all for the franchise, Pelissero notes that Crosby wants to stick with the Raiders. While the edge rusher has a strong desire to win, he wants that to happen in Las Vegas. Of course, the player previously showed his commitment to the franchise when he inked a three-year, $106.5MM extension this past offseason.

After missing the final four games of the 2024 campaign, Crosby has picked up where he left off. Through seven games this season, the 28-year-old has collected 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, and a force fumble. Pro Football Focus currently ranks him 21st among 113 qualifiers, although the site graded him as a top-four player at his position between 2021 and 2023.

While the Raiders won’t be trading Crosby, that doesn’t mean they won’t be active ahead of the deadline. Both the Raiders and Jakobi Meyers seem motivated to get the receiver out of Las Vegas, and there have even been rumblings that the front office could add to their defense. Despite the Raiders 2-5 start, the team isn’t anticipating any major changes to leadership, and it appears the organization will be looking to support their foundation with an eye on 2026.

As for the unsubstantiated Cowboys rumblings, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News denies that the organization hasn’t reached out to any teams about potential trades. However, the reporter notes that the front office has discussed potential deals internally, so perhaps a trade (for someone other than Crosby) could eventually materialize.

Steelers Interested In Trading For WRs Jakobi Meyers, Calvin Ridley?

October 24th, 2025 at 9:52am CST by Adam La Rose

To no surprise, the Steelers are among the teams reported to be in the market for a receiver addition prior to the upcoming trade deadline. Specific targets on that front have now emerged.

Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports Pittsburgh is interested in Jakobi Meyers. That comes as little surprise given the market in place for the pending free agent. Meyers is still open to being moved (as he was in the summer), and the Raiders now appear to be willing to swing a trade. Coming off a 1,000-yard campaign in 2024, Meyers is one of the top trade targets at the receiver position this year.

While he will have a strong market as a result, the same may not be true of Calvin Ridley. Per Pauline, the Titans veteran is also a target of the Steelers. Ridley topped 1,000 yards during his single campaign with the Jaguars in 2023 and did so again last year while debuting in Tennessee. The 30-year-old has not enjoyed the same level of success this season with the Titans undergoing a coaching change in the midst of quarterback Cam Ward‘s rookie campaign. Ridley has surpassed 57 receiving yards just once in 2025 and he has yet to score a touchdown.

The former Falcons first-rounder is playing out the second season of his four-year, $92MM free agent deal signed last spring. Ridley is therefore not a rental, and taking on even a portion of his $22.49MM base salary for this year would not be feasible for many suitors. His contract also contains $3MM already locked in for next season with a $1MM roster bonus due in March. The Titans recently granted Tyler Lockett‘s request to be released, so moving on from another veteran wideout as part of a rebuilding phase would not entirely come as a surprise.

Pauline adds that Jaylen Waddle is also on Pittsburgh’s radar, although the Dolphins are not expected to deal away the fifth-year receiver. Waddle (like Ridley) would be viewed as more than a rental in the event of a swap, and absorbing his contract would be challenging compared to other WR options. The Steelers have shown interest in notable wideout additions even before their offseason decisions to trade away George Pickens and add D.K. Metcalf. The team’s depth chart beyond the former Seahawk is a question mark, so a move of some kind would be feasible given Pittsburgh’s approach to the 2025 campaign.

At this point, the Steelers have roughly $6.3MM in cap space. That figure could change if a restructure or cost-shedding move is to be made before the November 4 deadline, something which would signal a trade being imminent. Pittsburgh remains a team to watch closely over the coming days, and in particular it will be interesting to see if Meyers or Ridley become heavily linked to a trade there.

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