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The Las Vegas Raiders season is in free fall so it’s time to start looking to the future for the once-proud franchise. One of the first decisions owner Mark Davis will need to make is what he’d like to do with quarterback Derek Carr. He’s been the starter for eight seasons but has only led the team to a winning record once. The Raiders’ woes are not all on Carr as the team hadn’t won much before he was drafted.
However, Davis is tired of losing and could look to a surprisingly ripe quarterback market this offseason. There’s been chatter surrounding Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson all possibly being available. While Carr is a good quarterback, he’s not on the same level as those three.
During a discussion of where Rodgers could end up, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote about the possibility of the MVP quarterback ending up in Las Vegas.
“The Raiders are such a wild card, as you mentioned, because we don’t know what a new coach or general manager would want,” Fowler wrote. “And they have a good starter in Carr. But, if Rodgers’ priorities are being on the West Coast and having control over the offense, perhaps Vegas would slide into contention.”
In order for the Raiders to even appeal to Rodgers, they’ll have to nail the head coaching hire as the 38-year-old isn’t about to waste his last years in the NFL. Plus, it’ll take a trade to convince the Green Bay Packers to let him go.
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Possible Trade Package for Rodgers
Trading for Rodgers would be a lot easier for the Raiders if Carr is willing to play for the Packers. He’s stated in the past that he only wants to play for Las Vegas but that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t be persuaded. With superstar wide receiver Davante Adams about to hit free agency, it would help the Packers’ chances of bringing him back if they traded for his college quarterback and close friend in Carr.
A Rodgers for Carr swap won’t be enough to make the deal happen but it shouldn’t take too much more. The Packers don’t have a ton of leverage here as Rodgers has made it clear in the past that he doesn’t fold easily. Carr and two first-round picks for Rodgers could be enough to get a deal done but even that might be more than Green Bay gets. The Raiders are positioned better than any team to make a Rodgers trade as they can offer a very good quarterback in return.
Will Raiders Actually Pursue a Trade?
While quarterback rumors started almost immediately with the Raiders when Jon Gruden was hired as the head coach, he was actually one of Carr’s biggest supporters in the building. He’s no longer with the team and it’s unclear how Davis feels about the quarterback.
Whether or not the Raiders try to trade Carr will likely be determined by the next head coach. A new coach might like the idea of building around a solid veteran quarterback who has already been with the team while a different coach might like the idea of bringing in a rookie or a big name. Everything is on the table right now as the Raiders are about to be in a major transitionary period.
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