This year's free agency period hasn't started, but teams have wasted no time making moves. Already, several clubs have started to release players and trade a few others. That's just the beginning. though. There will be many more transactions in the upcoming days, and the Jacksonville Jaguars could be involved in one with teams who are in need of help at tight end.
Vinni Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer is garnering trade interest from teams ahead of free agency.
After Bonsignore's scoop, Vic Tafur and Tashaan Reed of the Athletic reported that the Silver and Black is shopping Mayer.
This isn't surprising when you consider that this year's batch of tight ends in free agents isn't particularly great. On top of that, Mayer is a talented player with two years left on his rookie contract, meaning that he'll have an affordable salary through 2026. If that makes you wonder why the Raiders want to move on from him, the answer is simple, as talented as the former Notre Dame Irish is, teammate Brock Bowers is even better.
Bowers, a first-round pick in last year's draft, made an impact right off the bat, tallying 112 receptions for 1,194 yards with five touchdowns. And that was catching passes from the mediocre duo of Gardner Minshew and Aidell O'Connell. Imagine how dominant the former Georgia Bulldog can be if they upgrade their quarterback position. That said, Mayer is no slouch. He simply isn't as good.
As a rookie, Mayer amassed 27 catches for 304 yards with two touchdowns. Had Las Vegas not drafted Bowers, his production would have probably been even better last year. Put everything together, and it's easy to see why clubs are inquiring about his services. Then again, only one team will be successful, and those who lose out on him should give the Jaguars a call.
Related story: Updated cap space and draft picks for the Jaguars in 2025
The Jaguars can offer Evan Engram to teams who miss out on Michael Mayer
Throughout the offseason, Evan Engram has been seen as trade fodder or cut candidate because the Jags can free up a bit over $6 million if they move on from him. He still has one year left on his contract but the team's brass could move on from him due to the improved play of Brenton Strange last season.
When Engram was injured last year, Strange filled in for him and hauled in 40 receptions for 411 yards with two touchdowns. Make no mistake, Engram is still a playmaker. As recently as 2023, he registered the most catches (114) and yards (963) by a tight end in franchise history. Moreover, the former Ole Miss Rebel has been one of Trevor Lawrence's most trusted targets since he signed with the Jags in 2022, so there's no doubt there's still a place for him in Jacksonville.
Thus, trading him would come down to whether the Jaguars believe he's worth the $6 million he's slated to make in 2025. If they don't think he is, they could then offer him to teams who lose out on Michael Mayer. All things considered, he would be a heck of an alternative.
Sure, Engram will be a bit more expensive but his salary for 2025 isn't cost-prohibitive, so teams who are in immediate need of a boost at tight end wouldn't probably hesitate to trade a third-rounder for him.
The bottom line is that Evan Engram is a game-changer. The Jacksonville Jaguars would surely love to have him around next season, but they can also do without him, which is why it wouldn't be shocking to see him change uniforms in the upcoming months.