Raiders quarterback Derek Carr apparently considers a trade as he sends a parting message: “It hurts my feelings.”
Carr’s agent also stated in a tweet that his client “looks forward to the opportunity to write a new chapter for himself and his career” and that his “tenure with the Raiders is effectively finished.”
After a turbulent season under first-year head coach Josh McDaniels, the Raiders benched Carr for the last two games of the season. This news had been building for weeks. It is stated that Carr and the Raiders reached a mutual agreement to separate himself from the squad in order to avoid creating a distraction during that two-game span. With Jarrett Stidham starting at center, Las Vegas dropped its final two games of the season and concluded with a 6-11 record.
For both sides, Carr’s departure raises more questions than it does answers. Since the Raiders selected him 36th overall in the 2014 draft, he has started all but two of their games. Carr completed 64.6% of his throws for 35,222 yards, 217 touchdowns, and 99 interceptions in his nine years as a quarterback. These results place those four, seven, and twelve places among the seventeen quarterbacks who have at least three thousand passing attempts between 2014 and 2022, in that order.
After acquiring great receiver and college classmate Davante Adams this year, the Raiders seemed prepared to build around Carr this season. Josh Jacobs, receiver Hunter Renfrow, tight end Darren Waller, and running back Josh Jacobs formed the core of an offense that appeared ready to contend in the highly talented AFC West.
But the year was ruined before it even started with a subpar defense, a ton of injuries, and a 0-3 start that featured several missed opportunities. With Carr turning the ball over nine times in his last five games, the Raiders were unable to catch up and Vegas was eliminated from the postseason.
Before this season, there were many doubts about Carr’s potential as a franchise quarterback; nevertheless, one more unsatisfactory season cemented his future in Vegas. The fact that Carr will be due $33 million guaranteed in the event of an injury next season and $7.5 million guaranteed in the event of an injury in 2024 did not help.
Adams said that he desired to be moved to the Raiders because of Carr. Adams has been a devoted fan of Carr since the two played together at Fresno State. Now that the season is over, the two will probably play for different teams once more.
Carr’s contract includes a no-trade provision, which means he may opt to be dismissed or traded to a different team. If the Raiders are unable to reach an agreement by February 15th, Vic Tafur of The Athletic claimed that a release is imminent. Furthermore, a lot of clubs would be keen to get the seasoned quarterback.
