Getty Jon Gruden of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Despite all of the confidence the Las Vegas Raiders have shown in Derek Carr this offseason, the team continues to get mentioned in quarterback trade rumors. Aaron Rodgers’ issues with the Green Bay Packers remain unresolved, which means it’s possible that he gets traded. Considering the fact he listed the Raiders as one of the few teams he’d play for, they will likely remain linked to him until the situation is resolved.
It appears that ship has sailed for Las Vegas as they have yet to show any interest in Rodgers. However, that hasn’t stopped speculation. Chris Roling of Bleacher Report believes the Raiders should send Green Bay a 2022 1st-Round Pick, 2022 Second-Round Pick and 2023 1st-Round pick for the reigning MVP:
Carr wasn’t even bad last year, completing 67.3 percent of his passes with 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions. But it’s a non-starter when comparing him to the MVP Rodgers—he’s maybe the one passer the Raiders should sell the proverbial farm to obtain.
The above is just a conversation starter, of course. As the hypothetical developed, it would have to loop in the idea of involving Carr and more picks. But this is a way of saying that yes, the Raiders are one of those teams that should sniff around the Rodgers idea, especially in the brutal AFC West.
ALL the latest Raiders news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on Raiders newsletter here!
Should Raiders Even Consider Trading for Rodgers?
At this point, it seems very possible that the Packers just try to wait out Rodgers. They don’t appear to have much interest in trading him. That could make things difficult for any team that wants to make a deal. The Raiders would be an appealing trade partner for Green Bay due to the fact that they have a solid starting quarterback they could offer in return and plenty of draft picks.
That said, Las Vegas doesn’t seem to have much interest. It would take a lot to get Rodgers and the team hasn’t shown willingness to move off of draft picks. The only reason the Raiders could start to show interest is if it looks like the Denver Broncos could trade for him. If that happened, they would have arguably the fourth-best quarterback and team in the division. Carr is very good but Patrick Mahomes and Rodgers are the two best quarterbacks in the NFL while Justin Herbert could be the next generational talent at the position. That’s far from an ideal position to be for the Raiders.
Carr Says He’d Quit if He Had to Play Elsewhere
It may end up being impossible for the Raiders to make a deal with the Packers if they’d like Carr in return. The quarterback is as loyal as they come and recently some notable comments about his playing future.
“I’d probably quit football if I had to play for somebody else,” Carr said recently. “I am a Raider for my entire life. I’m going to root for one team for the rest of my life – it’s the Raiders. So, I just feel that so strong in my heart I don’t need a perfect situation … to make things right.
“I’d rather go down with the ship, you know what I’m saying, if I have to.”
If Carr gets traded, he could retire instead of starting over with a new team. He’s got more than enough money to retire with so it’s not that radical of an idea. There’s no doubt other teams saw Carr’s comments and could consider him off the table in future trade talks.
READ NEXT: Raiders DE Yannick Ngakoue Makes Bold Claim About Maxx Crosby Duo