Raiders release Carr — where will quarterback land?
HENDERSON, Nev. — Quarterback Derek Carr was released by the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday as the club evaluates its future at the position.
The move was expected after Carr was benched with two games remaining this season because the Raiders would have owed him $40.4 million in guaranteed money over the next two years if he remained on the roster beyond Tuesday. By releasing Carr, the Raiders’ salary dead-cap hit will be $5.6 million next season.
“We have a lot of respect for Derek Carr and what he has meant to the Raiders’ organization for the last nine years,” Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler said in a statement. “Derek has done great things in this league and we’re thankful to have been able to work with him this past year. He is a true professional and we appreciate his hard work in striving to produce the results we all desire.”
Carr’s agent, Tim Younger, posted on Twitter that they wish the Raiders “the best of luck.”
“This is the tough part of this business,” Younger wrote. “That’s the point; it’s just business. Time now to reset for both sides. Derek chooses to hold on to many good memories and friendships, without any ill will. That’s who he is. Onward and upward.”
Las Vegas tried to work out a trade with New Orleans, and Carr visited the Saints last week. He exercised his no-trade clause and turned down the deal Sunday because Carr didn’t want to take a pay reduction, a person with knowledge of the situation said at the time.
Now Carr, who turns 32 on March 28, will see what he’s worth on the open market, and there is little doubt there will be interest in the nine-year veteran, given how many teams need to upgrade at quarterback.
Other teams Carr could consider include the Panthers, Colts, Jets, Buccaneers and Commanders. Another team also could jump into the mix.
Drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round in 2014 out of Fresno State, Carr became the team’s career leader in passing yards (35,222) and touchdown passes (217) during his nine seasons.
The knock on Carr was that he led the Raiders to just two playoff appearances and still is looking for his first postseason victory.
He indicated the week of the Pro Bowl that free agency was his preference over a trade, saying Peyton Manning was encouraging during a discussion they had. The Colts released Manning in 2012 and he won a Super Bowl with the Broncos after the 2015 season.
“I’m just looking for teams that have made that decision consistently that they’ll do whatever it takes to put a winning program out there,” Carr said Feb. 2. “So for me, that’s just to win, win a championship. That’s at the forefront of the mind. It’s not money.”
As for the Raiders, Ziegler and McDaniels will have to determine the best path forward at quarterback.
They hold the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, or they could try to land someone such as Aaron Rodgers or Jimmy Garoppolo.
A trade for Rodgers would reunite him with wide receiver Davante Adams and create buzz around the organization, but the Packers likely would demand a lot in return.
The 49ers have let it be known Garoppolo won’t be back, and he was in the Patriots’ organization when Ziegler and McDaniels were there. His injury history would be a concern, but Garoppolo is 4017 in his career as a starter with a Super Bowl appearance.