Getty Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
With free agency just a couple of weeks away, trade speculation should also start to get more interesting. All eyes will be on Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson over the coming months if their teams hold onto them. The Las Vegas Raiders are currently happy with their quarterback situation but they’ve been linked to both Wilson and Watson.
Derek Carr is a good quarterback but both of those men would be an upgrade. The Raiders are unlikely to move on from Carr unless they get one of those two quarterbacks. Corbin Smith of Sports Illustrated proposed a three-team trade involving the Raiders, Seahawks and Texans that would solve everybody’s quarterback issues:
Looking at a possible structure for the deal, Seattle could offer Wilson to Las Vegas or Dallas, who would then ship a proven starter in Prescott or Carr to Houston. The 25-year old Watson ultimately would end up in the Pacific Northwest to be paired with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, completing the quarterback musical chairs. A number of draft picks would need to be exchanged to help facilitate the deal, with the Texans most likely receiving a first and a second round pick to go with Prescott or Carr as minimum compensation.
In summation, the Raiders get Wilson, the Seahawks get Watson and the Texans get Carr.
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This Would Be a Wild Trade
If this trade that Smith proposed somehow happened, it would be arguably the biggest trade in NFL history. You’d have two superstars in their prime getting moved and a three-time Pro Bowler in Carr. That would represent a major shake-up in the NFL.
The Raiders would likely be back in the playoffs and the Seahawks would still be Super Bowl contenders. Carr would end up in the worst situation as he’d be going to the franchise that ruined his brother’s career before it even started. While the Texans had a decent run, they are poised to be NFL bottom-dwellers for at least a couple more years.
Would Raiders Rather Have Watson or Wilson?
There have been a number of reports that have indicated that the Raiders are happy with Carr and plan on him being the team’s quarterback in 2021. However, if Watson and/or Wilson are available, Las Vegas will likely at least consider trying to trade for one of them.
Jon Gruden has had plenty of nice things to say about both quarterbacks in the past but it’s hard to know which one he’d prefer to have. Watson is younger at 25 and is coming off an excellent season. Wilson is a proven winner but he’s 32. The Raiders have put together a very young roster so Gruden could prefer to go with Watson. That said, Wilson is a megastar and he could make more sense in Las Vegas. Plus, he’s proven that he can take a team without a ton of talent and lead them to the playoffs. Watson has yet to do that.
If the Raiders are going to trade away their best draft assets, it’s not likely the defense will get fixed anytime soon. In that scenario, Wilson might be the preferable quarterback to have.
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