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Fans were surprised to find out that the Las Vegas Raiders were benching Derek Carr when the announcement was first made.
Since then, many have speculated the team will be finding a new quarterback in the offseason. However, new rumors suggest this was the plan all along.
According to Vincent Bonsignore, a Raiders beat writer, Vegas was “determined not to be handcuffed to a quarterback they no longer believed in.” This report suggests the organization didn’t view Derek Carr as a long-term option. It’s hard to say when that idea came to fruition, but this report makes it sound like it was rather early in the season.
The Raiders are financially tied to Josh McDaniels as their head coach right now. Although the team hasn’t looked great, the franchise is giving him a shot to prove himself as an NFL head coach. Considering Vegas is missing the playoffs, it appears the front office will be gung-ho about bringing in a new quarterback.
It’s tough to say who they’ll be aiming to acquire. There already has been plenty of hype for Tom Brady to potentially sign with Las Vegas. Additionally, nobody is ruling out the possibility of the Raiders signing Jimmy Garoppolo or drafting a rookie quarterback either.
At the end of the day, Vegas is moving on from Derek Carr. They should garner plenty of trade interest, as there is a multitude of teams who would benefit from having Carr under center. Things should get spicy during the offseason, as the Raiders clearly have a plan for the future.