NEWSLETTER
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr will put on a helmet one more time. Carr, sent home towards the end of the season, will move on from Las Vegas this offseason. But first, he will represent the Raiders in the Pro Bowl Games this week.
Carr will replace Joe Burrow at the Pro Bowl Games, making for an awkward weekend of sporting Raiders colors. But, as awkward as wearing Raiders gear in Las Vegas one last time will be, the questions will surely be equally as uncomfortable.
The Raiders have until February 15 to either trade Carr or cut him and avoid Carr’s $32.9 million base salary for next year, and $7.5 million for 2024 becomes guaranteed. Of course, Carr can veto any trade the Raiders come up with.
That wrinkle made Carr and his representatives seeking a trade partner seem likely. However, reports this week indicate that Vegas has not given Carr and his agent permission to seek a trade.
But why?
I have no idea. It doesn’t make much sense for the Raiders at all. They can’t trade Carr without his approval. If they don’t get a trade done in the next 15 days, he walks for nothing and negotiates a new deal with whatever team he wants. Carr would have an exclusive window to pick the team and situation that works best for him well ahead of the rest of the quarterbacks in the free-agent class.
According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Carr’s agent Tim Younger hasn’t given the Raiders a list of teams to which the quarterback would approve a trade to yet. Probably because there are a handful of teams that would be potential fits still looking for new head coaches.
The whole situation is just weird. It’s also setting up an odd weekend in Vegas for Carr and the Raiders.
