The Jacksonville Jaguars are ahead of the curve, choosing to sign wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to a three-year contract with a few weeks left in the regular season instead of waiting until 2026. By giving him an extension now, they won't have to worry about losing him to another team in free agency.
Looking back, it would have been hard to guess just how much of a difference-maker he was going to be. Sure, he was a solid receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders, and he was brought to Jacksonville to add consistency at receiver. However, nobody would have imagined that he was going to transform the Jags' offense. But that's pretty much the impact the former North Carolina State Wolfpack has had since joining the Jags at the trade deadline.
Having taken care of Meyers, the Jaguars can focus on trying to lock up some of their other free agents. For the time being, here are the winners and losers from the decision to give the Lithonia, Georgia native a three-year deal worth $60 million with $40 million in guarantees.
Jaguars winners: Trevor Lawrence, quarterback
Early in the season, Trevor Lawrence didn't always make the best decisions and generally lacked consistency. To make matters worse, he didn't get much help from his supporting cast, with drops severely hindering his production. Enter Jakobi Meyers.
Since the Jags traded for Meyers, they've averaged over 30 points on offense while Lawrence has seen a surge in production, completing 59.8 percent of his throws for 1,370 yards with14 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Moreover, Meyers gives Lawrence the safety blanket he had been missing early this year. Not surprisingly, he's playing like a top 10 quarterback once again.
Jaguars loser: Dyami Brown, wide receiver
When the Jags signed Dyami Brown to a one-year deal worth $10 million in free agency, they did so because they thought he was going to pick up where he left off with the Washington Commanders last year.
A third-round pick in 2021, the former North Carolina Tar Heel didn't do much of note early in his NFL career. It wasn't until 2024 that he put it all together, playing a pivotal role in Washington's playoff run.
For a brief moment, it looked like his success with the Commanders was going to carry into 2025. Brown hauled in a combined eight receptions for 109 yards with one touchdown the first two games of the season. However, he saw his role progressively decrease to the point that he's either been a healthy scratch or has barely gotten any snaps.
The fact that the Jags traded for Meyers and later extended him is a clear sign that they're going to move on from Brown in the offseason.
Jaguars winner: Brian Thomas Jr., wide receiver
Brian Thomas Jr. took the league by storm in 2024: He caught 82 receptions for 1,282 yards with 10 touchdowns and finished fourth in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. Expected to take his game to the next level in 2025, he instead dealt with a sophomore slump early to start the season.
However, the arrival of Jakobi Meyers helped Thomas turn things around. Early in the season, the second-year wideout operated in the middle of the field and didn't find much success. Once Meyers landed in Jacksonville, though, he moved back to the boundaries, where he's at his best, and once again gave the offense an element of verticality.
With Meyers locked up, Thomas can remain in the perimeter.
Jaguars loser: Travis Etienne, running back
The Jaguars have a long to-do list for the offseason. While they no longer have to worry aboutJakobi Meyers, several players are in line to get new deals. Unfortunately, Jacksonville won't be able to bring all of them back.
Linebacker Devin Lloyd, cornerback Greg Newsome, running back Travis Etienne, cornerback Montaric Brown, and offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen are among those Jaguars who are schedule the open market. Of the bunch, Etienne and Newsome may be the least likely to return. The latter because he's been inconsistent since he was traded midseason, and the latter because the value of running backs has dropped the last 20 years.
Make no mistake, Etienne is a key cog on offense, but Jacksonville has Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen. Couple that with the fact that the team's brass will have less space after extending Meyers, and it's hard to see "ETN" return next season.
Jaguars winner: James Gladstone, general manager
Since taking over the Jacksonville front office, James Gladstone hasn't been afraid to make moves that will address the larger scale roster. Not all of them have panned out, but there's no doubt that the Jakobi Meyers trade was a resounding success.
Instead of forcing the Dyami Brown signing to work, Gladstone took the L and looked for ways to bolster the wide receiver corps. Meyers has done just that since his arrival in early November, and all Gladstone had to do was give up a fourth and a sixth-round pick.
Then, by extending Jakobi Meyers, James Gladstone is proving that he's vision is working.