Getty The future is still uncertain for Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
You might recall where you were 11 months ago when you found out that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady had announced his retirement.
Fast-forward to the present and the Bucs’ quarterbacks outlook isn’t much clearer with Brady set become a free agent in March. However, the oddsmaker Sportsline currently lists the Bucs with the second-best odds to land Derek Carr of the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason.
Tampa Bay is listed at +400, along with the New Orleans Saints. The New York Jets lead the way at +300.
“There’s no way Tom Brady returns to Tampa Bay after this season, right? Right?” NBC Sports’ Sanjesh Singh wrote in a December 29 story about possible landing spots for Carr, 31. “Well, let’s just say the 45-year-old does not — in this case, he’d probably be the heavy favorite to replace Carr in Vegas. Carr could then replace Brady with the Bucs.”
Carr, who finished 2022 with 3,522 yards passing and 24 touchdowns against a league-leading 14 interceptions, was benched by the Raiders on December 28, a move that, according to NFL.com’s Eric Edholm, “feels like a precursor to Carr relocating in the offseason.”
How Can the Buccaneers Realistically Acquire Derek Carr?
Any possibility of Carr joining the Bucs next season will certainly revolve around money. The Bucs are currently projected to be about $43 million over the salary cap in 2023. And with Carr scheduled to make $32.9 million in base salary next season, a handful of financial roadblocks could make solidifying a deal between Carr and the Buccaneers challenging.
However, if the Raiders release Carr less than three days after the Super Bowl, the team will be on the hook for only $5.63 million. If the Raiders fail to release Carr during that three-day window, his $32.9 million contract becomes fully guaranteed. If the Raiders decide not to cut Carr (they do have him under contract through the 2025 season), the Bucs would need to acquire Carr via trade. Carr does have a no-trade clause in his contract, so he would have some control over a trade destination.
In that scenario, the question becomes what exactly would the Bucs be willing to trade to the Raiders to get him?
The Athletic’s Jeff Howe suggested Carr would be worth a second-round pick.
“I’d offer the Bucs’ second-round pick, which is currently projected to be No. 51 if they win the NFC South and lose in the first round of the playoffs,” Howe wrote in a December 29 story about various Carr trade scenarios. “If they miss the playoffs, it could be in the neighborhood of the 40th pick.”
The Denver Broncos traded away draft capital to acquire quarterback Russell Wilson last offseason, but Wilson is in the midst of the least-effective season of his career and the Broncos are 4-11.
Carr was surrounded by Pro Bowl pass catchers in Las Vegas this year and he still failed to produce a winning record (6-9), failed to make the playoffs and failed to make it to the end of the season without losing his starting job.
Raiders Announce Decision to Bench Derek Carr
Less than nine months after the Raiders signed Carr to a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension, the two sides appear to have severed the relationship beyond repair after Carr was benched December 28 in favor of Jarrett Stidham.
According to reports from ESPN, both sides mutually agreed that Carr should step away from the team to avoid being a distraction for the remainder of the regular season. It appears that Carr won’t even dress for the team’s final two games of the season.
“We’re gonna go ahead and start Jarrett the last couple games of the season here,” head coach Josh McDaniels said during his December 28 press conference. “None of us are happy with where we’re at but we think it’s an opportunity to evaluate a younger player who hasn’t had much time to play. Talking to Derek, who was great, he understands the scenario we’re in and the situation and very supportive of the two young guys.”