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Rumors began to circle around quarterback Derek Carr possibly joining the Indianapolis Colts next season immediately after the Las Vegas Raiders benched the veteran signal caller on December 28.
Just days later, those rumors appear to be growing some little legs.
Heavy NFL senior reporter Matt Lombardo included the Colts on a list of four teams that are potential destinations for Carr in 2023. Furthermore, an AFC coach Lombardo spoke with collaborated with the senior reporter’s theory that Indianapolis could be a fit for Carr.
“Don’t rule out the Colts,” an AFC coach told Lombardo.
‘Sweeping Changes’ Coming to Indianapolis
It’s going to be an interesting offseason for the Colts. And that’s putting it very lightly.
No one actually knows if Indianapolis will be interested in acquiring Carr. It’s impossible to answer that question not only because of the mess behind center in Indianapolis but the uncertainty at head coach and general manager.
It’s possible the Colts will have to fill all three of those major organizational roles (GM, HC and QB) in the same offseason.
With that kind of uncertainty, the only thing guaranteed is what Lombardo wrote — an “offseason promising sweeping changes.”
“It would seem unlikely interim head coach Jeff Saturday returns in the full-time position, and general manager Chris Ballard could be on his way out the door, after some colossal misses in the NFL draft and missing on big swings at veteran quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan in the aftermath of Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement in 2019,” wrote Lombardo.
“If the season ended today, the Colts would own the No. 5 overall pick in next spring’s draft. Will this be the year the Colts go about rebuilding the prudent way, around an affordable high-upside rookie quarterback? Or, will owner Jim Irsay and Indianapolis once again aim for a band-aid in hopes of securing the very winnable AFC South?”
If they go the band-aid route, the Colts could do worse than Carr. He’s only a season removed from posting 4,804 passing yards and 23 touchdowns with a 68.4% completion percentage while leading the Raiders to the playoffs.
Ways Carr Could Land With Colts
Carr was loosely connected to the Colts as early as the middle of November. But at that point, he was a long shot trade candidate for Indianapolis. Now with his benching, there are multiple ways Carr could land with the Colts.
The first and still most obvious road for the veteran signal caller to end up in blue and white is a trade. Carr has a full no-trade clause, so the Raiders cannot trade him anywhere he doesn’t desire to be.
But if Carr chose Indianapolis as Matt Ryan did last offseason, the Colts could build their offseason around a veteran quarterback trade for the third year in a row.
It’s worth wondering how likely Carr would want to head to Indianapolis. The AFC coach who told Lombardo not to rule out the Colts getting Carr also made it clear Indianapolis wouldn’t be his first choice.
“If I’m a veteran quarterback with options, I’m avoiding that place,” said the AFC coach.
However, it might not take a trade to land Carr. The Raiders could release the signal caller and save up to $33 million in cap space in 2023 and have under $6 million in dead cap money spread out over the next two seasons.
In that scenario, the Colts could court Carr on the free agent market and add the quarterback without giving up a draft pick. Indianapolis would presumably do this after releasing Ryan, which would save roughly $17 million in cap space next season for the Colts.
Carr leads the NFL with 14 interceptions and has posted a career-low 60.8% completion percentage in 2022. But the veteran apparently still has his fair share of believers around the league.
“Derek can play anywhere,” an NFC East scout told Lombardo. “The Raiders never should have fired Rob Bissachia. Whoever gets Derek Carr will be getting a steal.”
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