Las Vegas Raiders: 5 Teams That Should Kick the Tires on a Derek Carr Trade

The Las Vegas Raiders will embark on a franchise-altering change at quarterback this offseason. The team’s starter for nine years, Derek Carr, was cast aside for the final two weeks, laying the foundation for a new signal-caller in 2023. What trade makes the most sense for all parties?

Before Carr arrived to the organization, the Raiders featured a game of musical chairs at the position. After Rich Gannon retired in 2004, the Raiders started 15 different signal-callers in the decade following. The likes of JaMarcus Russell, Carson Palmer, and Terrelle Pryor come to mind in that stretch. That misery all ended during the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

At No. 36 overall, the Raiders selected Derek Carr out of Fresno State. From 2014-2022, Carr only missed four games, with two of those being the final games of the 2022 season. The veteran quarterback owns a laundry list of passing records for the Silver & Black.

Carr has over 16,000 more career passing yards than the next closest Raider (Ken Stabler). His 217 touchdown passes are 67 more than the next closest quarterback (also Ken Stabler). Simply put, moving on from Carr, justified or not, is a major shift for the franchise.

Las Vegas Raiders: 5 Teams That Should Kick the Tires on a Derek Carr Trade

The structure of the Derek Carr contract is set up in an odd way for the Raiders. They can cut or trade the quarterback while taking less than a $6 million dead cap hit in 2023. The issue is, the entirety of Carr’s $32.9 million salary for 2023 becomes guaranteed if the signal-caller is still on the roster three days after the Super Bowl.

Because of this, the Raiders face an uphill climb to find a trade in that period of time. It gives inquiring teams a chance to swoop in and get Carr for pennies on the dollar, knowing that Las Vegas has such a short window to swing a trade. On top of that, Carr owns a no-trade clause in his contract, so he must approve of any trade.

Keeping this in mind, it is unlikely the Raiders fetch a first-round pick for Derek Carr. A second-round pick might be pushing it as well, given the set of circumstances at play. What team makes the most sense in trade negotiations?

Destination No. 5: Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts enter the 2023 offseason with as many question marks at quarterback as any team in the NFL. After cycling through a slew of underwhelming signal-callers since Andrew Luck retired, perhaps Derek Carr becomes the next name added to the list.

Carr’s best has proven to be enough for a team to win with him. Just last season, the Raiders won ten games, even as EVERYTHING went wrong around them. The Colts’ roster is more well-rounded than the Raiders’ presently, so maximizing the talent of Carr is feasible in Indy.

Destination No. 4: Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders have suffered a similar fate at quarterback. Ever since Kirk Cousins departed for Minnesota, the franchise has searched far and wide for a new starter behind center. Last offseason, they traded for Carson Wentz, and less than 12 months later, Washington is no closer to finding a solution than they were then.

Fifth-round rookie Sam Howell showed heart and flashed his elite deep ball accuracy in Week 18 vs. Dallas. Maybe this is enough for Ron Rivera and Co. to roll with Howell in 2023, but I suspect a bigger move is on the horizon.

Derek Carr would have no shortage of weapons in the Nation’s Capital. Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel, and Brian Robinson Jr. create a fun stable of weapons for any quarterback. The defense features some great talent; improved play at quarterback should be enough to get them back to the postseason.

Destination No. 3: Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans find themselves in an eerily similar position as the Raiders. Ryan Tannehill has provided serviceable play during his tenure with the team, but too many times, he failed to show up in the most crucial moments.

The same thing has been said about Derek Carr, but I see a player that handles crunch time considerably better than Tannehill. To support that claim, Carr has more fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives in his career.

Under a new regime in 2022, Carr learned to lean on the run game more. With the Titans, he can continue doing so. Treylon Burks is an ascending talent at wide receiver, but more weapons must be added if a trade for Carr is in the cards. The Titans would be better in 2023 with Carr than they would with Tannehill.

Destination No. 2: New York Jets

The New York Jets have been coy regarding their future plans at quarterback. Head coach Robert Saleh still claims that Zach Wilson has a chance to win the job back this offseason. Consider me skeptical.

The team started Mike White and Joe Flacco down the stretch as they fought for a postseason berth. That alone raises a monstrous red flag. The Jets’ roster will be even better in 2023, and I doubt general manager Joe Douglas wants to waste a year with shaky play at quarterback.

We can debate whether or not Derek Carr is a steady hand, but relative to their current options, it is easy to see how the veteran quarterback moves the needle for New York’s offense. Garrett Wilson is a budding superstar, and rookie Breece Hall was well on his way to becoming a household name in year one. Dropping Carr into this offense could be the final push needed.

Destination No. 1: Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers boast a better roster than anyone gives them credit for. The defense is always hungry and playing at 100 mph. The offensive line improved every week of the 2022 season. Although Christian McCaffery was traded away, the team still has DJ Moore, one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

The reason Carolina makes the most sense for Derek Carr is two-fold. First, he brings a higher floor than any quarterback the franchise has started after Cam Newton. Additionally, at age 32, Carr can serve as a bridge quarterback for the new coaching staff.

Having Carr at their disposal gives the front office tons of flexibility for 2023 and beyond. As stated, Carr has a hefty cap hit next season, but only $7.5 million is guaranteed in 2024. This means Carolina can try to win with Carr in 2023 and cut bait next offseason if it doesn’t pan out.

Trading for Carr will not stop the Panthers from drafting a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft. Will Levis or Anthony Richardson taking a redshirt year as a rookie is the optimal path for each prospect. Going into next season with Derek Carr and a promising rookie quarterback can set Carolina up for the next decade+.