Getty Derek Carr with Marcus Mariota.
The Las Vegas Raiders season is far from over but it’s likely that the front office is thinking about the future. At the center of those thoughts will be quarterback Derek Carr. He’s been with the team for eight years and has only put together one winning season. All the losing isn’t his fault but owner Mark Davis could just want to start fresh.
If Carr becomes available, they’ll be a lot of interest in him around the league. One team that is a quarterback away from being relevant in the NFC is the Washington Football Team. They are loaded with defensive talent and do have some solid offensive pieces. However, Taylor Heinicke isn’t good enough at quarterback to get them over the hump.
That could lead Washington to show interest in Carr. Pro Football Focus revealed their trade proposal between the two teams. They have Carr getting sent to Washington for a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2022 third-round pick:
Washington Football Team defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was the Raiders’ head coach from 2015-17, with the 2016 season being the only year Carr has made the playoffs in his career. He threw 28 touchdown passes to just six interceptions that year. After getting fired, Del Rio did make comments about how he doesn’t believe Carr plays well in cold weather, which Carr certainly took umbrage with at the time. Nevertheless, the two have familiarity and were successful together, so perhaps that can be a bridge to a reunion.
Washington has managed to be a .500 football team despite replacement-level quarterbacking in each of the past two seasons. With emerging star wide receiver Terry McLaurin and the team’s offensive line currently earning the third-best pass blocking grade in 2021 (79.1) despite some injuries, Carr could step in and make the team a true contender.
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This Would Be a Big Haul for Carr
What PFF is proposing is certainly a massive haul for the Raiders. Multiple first-round picks and a third-rounder is more than many would have expected Carr could get Las Vegas. However, it’s not out of the question. There could be as many as 10 teams in the market for a good quarterback this offseason.
The New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers could both be a quarterback away from being Super Bowl contenders. Normally, Carr probably wouldn’t be worth so much but the fact that multiple teams could be vying for his services will increase the price. No team wants to give up multiple first-round picks but it could be worth it for a team that’s a quarterback away from being in Super Bowl contention.
Most deep pass attempts 20+ yards downfield
🚀 Derek Carr – 71
🚀 Josh Allen – 64
🚀 Tom Brady – 62
Could WFT Convince Carr to Play Outside of Las Vegas?
People can speculate all day about where Carr could get traded but it won’t matter if he refuses to play elsewhere. He’s said in the past that he’d retire before playing for another team. However, it’s easy to say that before other teams start reaching out to you.
Washington head coach Ron Rivera is a beloved figure around the NFL. If he gets on the phone with Carr, there’s a good shot he can get the quarterback fired up about playing for him. Plus, Washington employs former Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio as their defensive coordinator. He has a good relationship with Carr which could work in their favor. He’d also get to play with a star wide receiver in Terry McLaurin and Washington’s stout defense would make Carr’s job a lot easier than it has been in the past. He would at least need to consider it.
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Proposed Trade Has Raiders Dealing QB to NFC Team for Massive Haul