QB says goodbye, looks forward to ‘new team’ Raiders evaluate trade market for Derek Carr
Derek Carr’s unceremonious benching ended his tumultuous 2022 season abruptly. It also set him up for a potential deal from the Raiders.
Such a divorce seems more likely now that the Raiders have begun the process of evaluating Carr’s trade market, NFL Network Insider’s Ian Rapoport reported Thursday.
In a lengthy statement posted on Twitter Thursday, Carr said goodbye to the Raiders organization and fan base, expressing gratitude for their support and looking ahead to his future, most likely at another club.
“I once said if I wasn’t a Raider I’d rather be home and I meant it, but I never imagined it would end this way,” Carr wrote in part. “That fire that burns in me to win championships still rages. A fire that no one can put out but God.”
“So I’m looking forward to a new city and a new team that will get everything I’ve got no matter the circumstances. Winning a championship is what I’ve always wanted and what I’ll continue to work towards.”
Carr’s career with the Raiders included highs of three straight Pro Bowl appearances (2015-2017) and two playoff appearances, as well as lows of six losing seasons and playing parts of two seasons with interim coaches. In 2022, Carr struggled at times to produce points for the Raiders, who were expected to contend for the AFC West title thanks to the offseason acquisition of former Fresno State teammate Davante Adams. Instead, they often failed to sustain their first-half success through the final two quarters of games, finding unique ways to lose leads far too often to stay in playoff contention.
With only a slim chance of making the postseason, first-year coach Josh McDaniels decided to rip off the bandage and sit Carr for the final two weeks in favor of Jarrett Stidham. Stidham was surprisingly effective, but the results—two losses to end the season—were all to familiar.
Carr signed an extension with the Raiders at the start of 2022, and it appears they will be pairing him with McDaniels for the foreseeable future. While the extension secured his immediate status with the Raiders, it also gave them an escape route if necessary, leaving only $5.6 million in dead cap space in 2023 if the team decides to cut or trade him before June 1.
With little penalty to consider, the Raiders are doing just that. Derek Carr will be a hot commodity in the offseason for teams LLlooking for answers at quarterback, but questions remain about his viability as a starter.
In the right situations, Carr was a highly productive quarterback with the RaidersSS. Las Vegas has since deemed him unsuitable for its future. We’ll see if another needy club decides it’s worth getting him.
