Justin K. Aller/Getty Images Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on from the sideline during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Heinz Field on September 19, 2021.
Trade rumors continue to swirl around Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr in spite of a recent report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network indicating that the Raiders “are prepared to discuss a contract extension that would keep him in Las Vegas for the forseeable future.” But with Carr’s asking price reported by insider Jordan Schultz to be “$35M+,” there’s no guarantee that the two parties will be able to come to an agreement, especially since the Raiders have what most NFL observers see as a well-below-average roster and might want to accumulate draft capital to upgrade as many key positions as possible.
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PFF’s Trade Proposal: 3 Premium Draft Picks for Derek Carr
Pro Football Focus (PFF) envisioned a scenario in which the Steelers swing a trade for Carr after making “an offer the Raiders’ brass can’t refuse.”
Indeed it’s a very attractive offer, as PFF has Pittsburgh giving up its 2022 first-round pick (No. 20 overall), its 2023 first-round pick, and its 2022 third-round pick in exchange for Carr, who is scheduled to earn $19.8 million in the final year of his current contract.
“Pittsburgh’s roster is in a better position to win with Carr than Las Vegas’ squad, as evidenced by their playoff berth with the version of Ben Roethlisberger (PFF’s 33rd-ranked quarterback) we all witnessed this past season,” wrote Austin Gayle, rationalizing why Carr might want to leave Las Vegas for Pittsburgh.
“The Raiders, on the other hand, are in desperate need of upgrades at receiver, four positions along the offensive line, linebacker and cornerback before their roster is even considered in the top half of the league,” continued Gayle. “Fully committing to a rebuild with a wealth of first-round picks should be the preferred option over signing Carr to a $40 million per year contract with a roster lacking talent at premium positions.”
Steelers Would Want to Extend Derek Carr Before Consummating a Trade
The question is whether the Steelers could conceivably like Carr enough to part with three premium draft choices. The former second-round pick (No. 36 overall in 2014) has three Pro Bowls to his credit and has been durable, starting at least 15 games every season en route to a 92.4 career passer rating. And at 30 years old, he’s likely entering the prime years of his career.
But is he that much better than the free agent quarterbacks who are available, including former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston and ex-No. 2 overall pick Mitch Trubisky? Or how about Jimmy Garoppolo—the preferred choice of former Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier—who could likely be had via trade for much less draft capital.
Never mind the fact that the Steelers would no doubt want to have a contract extension in place before completing such a trade, yet another obstacle.
A Trade to Acquire Liberty QB Malik Willis Still the Most Likely Scenario?
In the above-referenced PFF scenario/mock draft, Liberty quarterback Malik Willis is selected by the Saints before the Steelers’ first-round pick comes up. That suggests that Pittsburgh might need to trade up if it wants Willis, who has been strongly linked to the Steelers ever since the Senior Bowl.
NFL draft guru @TonyPauline on @937theFan talking about Malik Willis: “I know the Steelers absolutely like him…they like a lot of the things they liked about Ben Roethlisberger. Arm strength. Athleticism. Plays he can make in and out of the pocket.”
Do you want Malik Willis?
The allure of Willis is that he offers high upside potential and would be on a relatively affordable rookie contract for up to the next five years. But he’s also a high-risk option, one who was described by PFF’s Seth Galina as possibly “the all-time ‘I can fix him’ quarterback.” That is, he possesses awe-inspiring arm talent and running ability but “needs to vastly improve his ability to find open receivers,” as Galina put it.
For what it’s worth, Willis has already been compared to former Steelers quarterback/wide receiver/running back Kordell Stewart, which isn’t exactly encouraging, at least if you’re thinking of Willis as a full-time starting quarterback.
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Bold Trade Scenario Has Steelers Acquiring 3-Time Pro-Bowl Quarterback