Raiders had decided well ahead that Derek Carr was not the answer at QB position
Derek Carr has been the face of the Las Vegas Raiders since being drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
When head coach Josh McDaniels benched the three-time Pro Bowler in Week 17, it signaled the end of his time with the franchise.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders knew well before Week 17 of the season that Carr was not the answer moving forward.
Reportedly, the Raiders discovered within weeks of the start of the season that Carr was not the right fit.
His benching in case he was injured in the last two games nullified the effect of his $40 million injury guarantee.
The report states that the Raiders will focus on clearing cap space for next season.
The report said:
"The Raiders were determined not to be handcuffed to a quarterback they no longer believed in and who represented a major drag on their 2023 salary cap."
Ideally, Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler would like to trade him to receive some draft assets in return.
Teams like the Saints, Commander and Titans could be in the mix for Derek Carr.
But the 2023 roster provision means $40 million is guaranteed next season, regardless of where he plays.
The question is how much other teams would be willing to give the Raiders knowing they would have to take that huge guarantee.
Should the Raiders move on from Carr, his career with the franchise will go down as one of the best of all time.
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