With the final roster cut deadline breathing down everyone’s neck, Mike Vrabel is scanning the league for stray talent. In Foxborough, offense is being curated around QB Drake Maye. At pretty much the same time, a WR1 made it clear his patience had run out. Jakobi Meyers has made it clear he wants out of Las Vegas. The timing is stunning, but the roots of his decision trace back to stalled contract talks.

Meyers is fresh off a career-best 2024 campaign, tallying 87 catches, 1,027 yards, and four touchdowns while adjusting to three different quarterbacks. Yet the Raiders remain hesitant to extend him, even as he enters the final year of his three-year deal. Tension has boiled over, and now the question lingers in every huddle and locker room across the league—where does Meyers land next?

Jakobi Meyers might find himself back where it all began. Drafted by the Patriots in 2019, he rose to WR1 before hitting free agency in 2022. For Meyers, a return would feel like a full-circle moment. An X post now making rounds reads, “The #Raiders and #Patriots have discussed a trade that would involve Kyle Dugger for Jakobi Meyers #RaiderNation #NEPats,” opening the door for New England to strengthen Drake Maye’s receiving corps. The rookie QB could benefit from a veteran target, and a reunion seems almost inevitable.

Meyers thrived in New England under Josh McDaniels, who was his offensive coordinator for his first three years. McDaniels is now back in Foxborough, which makes the transition easier if a trade is finalized. It would not be the first time McDaniels pushed for Meyers, either.

This all began when safety Kyle Dugger came on the chopping block, according to reports that surfaced on August 25.

Vrabel and the Patriots backed into a corner over Kyle Dugger

Whispers indicated that Mike Vrabel and the Patriots are exploring trade options despite Dugger signing a four-year, $58 million extension just last offseason. He has three years left on that deal, but his future in Foxborough looks increasingly uncertain as talks heat up. If the trade materialises, Vrabel needs to do some complicated calculations.

According to MassLive’s Mark Daniels, “multiple industry sources” believe it would be a shock if the Patriots found any takers for the veteran safety. One insider even flat-out said he’d be “shocked” if another team pulled the trigger, pointing directly to Dugger’s massive contract extension. New England handed him $32.5 million in guarantees covering 2026 and 2027, making his deal a tough sell for any suitor.

The problem? If the Patriots truly want him gone, they’ll have to eat a big chunk of that guaranteed money just to make a trade realistic. As Daniels explained, rival executives agree that the only path to moving Dugger is if New England drastically reduces his salary to sweeten the deal. That leaves Dugger in a brutal spot.

Drafted in the second round back in 2020, Kyle Dugger quickly grew into a steady presence in the Patriots’ secondary between 2021 and 2023—a rise that earned him a hefty payday in the 2024 offseason. But last fall, things took a turn. A serious ankle injury slowed him down, and though he fought through it, his impact on the field wasn’t the same.

Once considered a cornerstone in Foxborough, he’s now reportedly on the block—per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport—thanks to an offseason ankle injury and ongoing struggles adapting to a new system.