Getty Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
As the playoffs move on and the herd thins, more teams will be looking ahead to the offseason. The Las Vegas Raiders are one of the top teams to watch due to the fact that they’re going to try and trade quarterback Derek Carr. Quarterbacks of his caliber are rarely available so the team should be getting plenty of phone calls in the coming weeks.
Carr has a no-trade clause in his contract so he’ll be able to dictate where he ends up. His brother David Carr came out recently and said the quarterback will be looking for a stable situation. Not many teams with quarterback needs are in the stablest situation so he might just have to find the team with the best chance to win immediately.
That may end up being the New York Jets. It’s no secret that the team desperately needs a new quarterback after it became clear that Zach Wilson is a draft bust when he was benched in favor of Mike White. With an elite defense and some good young weapons, the Jets could be intriguing to Carr. In fact, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report predicts New York to be where the quarterback lands:
If the Jets want to make a quick and decisive move for a quarterback, they can start with Carr, who may be available for a second-round pick in a trade. The Raiders quarterback struggled through the 2022 campaign, throwing for 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with a 60.8 percent completion rate. So, he may not command a first-round pick.
New York can offer Las Vegas the No. 44 overall pick in the 2023 draft and a middle-round selection to start the conversation for Carr. If the Raiders accept the proposal, Gang Green would have a significant upgrade over quarterbacks Zach Wilson and Chris Streveler, who remain on the books beyond the 2022 campaign.
Trading Carr Will Prove Difficult
Trading Carr sounds like a great idea on paper. The Raiders would certainly like to get something in return for the three-time Pro Bowler. However, that will be easier said than done. Carr’s 2023 salary of $33 million and $7.5 million of his 2024 salary become fully guaranteed on February 15, per Spotrac. The new league year starts on March 15, which is when the Raiders can actually trade Carr. The Raiders can reach a verbal agreement with a team on a trade but nothing can officially happen until March 15.
Considering Carr has a no-trade clause and can tell the team to either keep or cut by the February 15 deadline, the Raiders have close to no leverage. If the Jets would be willing to pay Carr at his current salary, they’d almost certainly be willing to pay it on the open market and not have to trade any assets.
“Robert Saleh needs to win now. Derek Carr is that solution.”
How Badly Could Jets Want Carr?
The Jets likely would’ve made the playoffs if they had consistent quarterback play. Wilson’s quarterback rating of 72.8 was the worst in the NFL among qualifying players. White’s 75.7 quarterback rating in four starts wasn’t much better. Carr’s career passer rating of 91.8 would be a significant upgrade.
He’s also as durable as any quarterback in the NFL. He’s only missed two regular season starts due to injury in his career. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is a popular name linked to the Jets but he’s only made it through an entire season without an injury just once in his career. If the Jets are set on signing a veteran quarterback, they won’t do much better than Carr this offseason.