Getty Derek Carr of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Following his season-worst performance against the Los Angeles Rams, it appears the Las Vegas Raiders could be trending in the direction of wanting to move on from Derek Carr. This isn’t the first time his future with the team has come into question but somebody could take the fall for the team’s disappointing season and he might be the most likely candidate. The Raiders can realistically cut him outright and not take a huge dead cap hit if they do it by the Super Bowl.
However, Carr could garner a lot of interest on the trade market. There are plenty of teams right now with good rosters but are receiving substandard play at quarterback. The New York Jets would be an interesting team to watch. Second-year quarterback Zach Wilson looks like a bust. Mike White has played well since taking over but it’s fair to question if he can keep up the strong play for an entire season. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report pitched a trade that would see Carr traded to the Jets for two second-round picks:
Right now, the Raiders are slated to pick at No. 8 in the 2023 draft, but more losses could put them even higher and in position to take one of the top quarterbacks.
If that’s the case, it might just be the time to part ways with the 31-year-old and use the cap savings to build a better roster around a young quarterback.
If that’s the case, the New York Jets would make a sense as a destination for a veteran quarterback. They are on pace to post their first winning season since 2015, have a head coach in Robert Saleh who is establishing a good culture and a defense that’s playing well.
Why Jets Would Be Appealing to Carr
If the Raiders decide they would like to trade Carr, things could get tricky. He has a no-trade clause in his contract and has consistently said that he would rather retire than play for another team. Las Vegas might put that to the test this offseason. If they are going to convince him to waive his no-trade clause, it will have to be for the right team.
The Jets should be very interesting to Carr. Rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson looks like a future star while running back Breece Hall has a bright future. While all of that is appealing to a quarterback, what would really have to excite Carr is the Jets’ defense. Head coach Robert Saleh has transformed the defense into one of the best in the league. They are third in yards allowed per game and sixth in points allowed. Those are far better numbers than Carr has ever had to work with in his career. He wants to finish his career with the Raiders but some part of him has to wonder what it’d be like to play for another team that has a real defense.
.@derekcarrqb is in good company.
Raiders Have to Be Careful
If the Raiders trade Carr, they better have a good succession plan. There’s nobody currently on the roster who would be an adequate replacement. The only appealing quarterback who could be gettable in free agency is Tom Brady but there’s a good chance he retires after the season. Jimmy Garoppolo or Baker Mayfield would not be an upgrade over Carr.
The Raiders could always look to the draft but why start a rookie quarterback when the team has so much veteran talent? Drafting the wrong quarterback would set the franchise back even further. Carr hasn’t been perfect in his career but he’s an above-average quarterback who can win some games if the Raiders fix the defense.