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Raiders Trade Jordan Meredith, Show Faith in Rookie Trey Zuhn
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- Raiders Trade Jordan Meredith, Show Faith in Rookie Trey Zuhn
Raiders Trade Jordan Meredith, Show Faith in Rookie Trey Zuhn
The Raiders shipped Jordan Meredith to the New York Jets before the 53-man roster deadline on Sunday, a trade made possible by the emergence of rookie offensive lineman Trey Zuhn.
Las Vegas selected Zuhn in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. At Texas A&M, Zuhn played left tackle, but the Raiders had a more diverse role in mind. Throughout training camp, Zuhn has played all over the offensive line.
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"How impressive it is for a guy to play tackle, to play center, to play guard for us," head coach Klint Kubiak said. "There's a lot of things he does really well. Very versatile player. Great teammate. Excited about his future."
Zuhn has recently taken snaps at center with the second-team offense, completing the trifecta of positions along the line. That versatility has impressed his head coach.
"I've never been around a guy that can do what he does from rep to rep," Kubiak said. "We just got to keep getting him better physically. But he has a special trait upstairs."
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Those special traits led to the Raiders keeping Zuhn as their option as a backup center. Meredith and Will Putnam were in training camp with center experience. But after trading Meredith and cutting Putnam, Las Vegas has nine offensive linemen on the 53-man roster.
Atonio Mafi is a backup guard who has never played center in the NFL , according to Pro Football Focus. Charles Grant will be the Raiders swing tackle, but he too has never played center.
The only other option at center is Jackson Powers-Johnson, but he is the likely starter at right guard. Powers-Johnson has been battling Caleb Rogers for the starting role , but has been listed first on the depth chart throughout training camp.
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If starting center Tyler Linderbaum went down to injury the Raiders would either have to move Powers-Johnson over to center, a position he has received almost no work at in the preseason, or put the rookie Zuhn in. That shows the confidence level the Raiders have in Zuhn.
Trade Return
Las Vegas didn't get much in return for Meredith. The Raiders sent a 2029 seventh-round pick to New York with Meredith in exchange for a 2027 sixth rounder. But it is a slight increase in draft capital for a player the Raiders likely would have cut anyway.
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That type of move could be more common if the Raiders draft well. Having rookies make an impact with the starters is obviously the best way for the Raiders to climb to the top of the NFL. But depth is important too, and having rookies gain trust as quickly as Zuhn did will make the roster and draft assets better.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
