NEWSLETTER
The Raiders season ended last weekend. And it ended without Derek Carr, who was dismissed from the team two weeks previous in a move that spelled the end of Carr’s time in Vegas.
With a small window to negotiate a trade before his 2023 salary becomes fully guaranteed, Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler is beginning to evaluate the trade market for Carr, according to Ian Rapoport.
As the Raiders embark on a crucial offseason (on the heels of a super disappointing 2022 campaign), the first order of business will be to find a resolution to the Derek Carr situation. Carr’s agent shared a statement today conforming that Carr will not return to the Raiders in 2023 as well.
There’s no doubt that his time in Vegas has ended after nine seasons with the organization; the question is how his exit is handled.
The Raiders will look to trade him, and if they found a suitor, they would free up $29.25 million in cap space as long as they can get a deal done before Feb. 15, which is when Carr’s $32.9 million salary in 2023 and $7.5 million of his 2024 salary become fully guaranteed.
However, Carr has a full no-trade clause and can block any deal to get the Raiders to cut him and allow him to pick his new team and land a new contract.
If the Raiders were to trade Carr, it would come through a collaborative effort between Carr, his agent Tim Younger, and the Raiders.
Carr joins an interesting class of quarterbacks available this offseason that might also include Lamar Jackson. That is, unless the Ravens change their stance on the non-existent extension negotiations. Carr figures to be an attractive candidate for a team looking for a veteran quarterback and is in a window where they can compete now.
It’s a little too early to start to peg places where Carr might land, but I intend to do so in depth in the near future, but it’ll be interesting to see if Carr and the Raiders can find a trade that works for everyone before they have to cut him next month.
