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The Las Vegas Raiders and Pro Bowl (*insert troll face*) quarterback Derek Carr are in a weird spot.
The Raiders selected Carr with the in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
In the nine seasons since, Carr has been plenty serviceable. In fact, many would argue that he’s been good. Carr has made four Pro Bowls with Oakland/Las Vegas. He plays almost every game and he’s averaging 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions per season.
By any measure, Carr has proven to be a good, capable NFL starting quarterback. But he’s not good enough. And therein lies the issue. Carr is in the tier of quarterbacks that can win you games, but cannot single-handedly win you playoff games. And therefore, after perhaps the worst season of his NFL career where he still threw for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, the Raiders are moving on.
At least, they hope to do so. But there’s a hangup.
Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension with Las Vegas prior to the 2022 season. The deal includes a no-trade clause and was intended to keep him in Vegas until 2025.
Now the Raiders not only have to unload Carr, but also his contract.
Derek Carr Trade Unlikely As Raiders Refuse To Allow Him To Negotiate
Las Vegas reportedly gave Carr permission to speak with other teams regarding a trade. Carr even joked about his seeming inevitable exit during the first Pro Bowl Games. But it appears things aren’t exactly that straightforward.
From @NFLTotalAccess: The #Raiders have not granted Derek Carr free rein to speak to other teams about a possible trade, which is keeping the odds of such a move happening very low. pic.twitter.com/5zLZgdIAVi
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 4, 2023
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that Carr does not, in fact, have permission to speak with every team in the NFL, and that’s keeping odds of a deal low.
“I heard our (network reporter) Jim Trotter, earlier today, say the chances of Derek Carr agreeing to a trade are less than one percent,” Garafolo said. “I spoke to a source informed who said ‘maybe if you throw in Hunter Renfroe and Darren Waller to go with him. Maybe then, at that point, it will get to one percent.’ So the chances do not look good right now.”
If no trade occurs, which now appears likely, Carr is likely to become a free agent prior to Feb. 15 when he’s owed $40 million of guaranteed money.