NFL QB Derek Carr Leaving Las Vegas Raiders, Could Be His Best Career Decision Ever

With a ton of expected changes in where players will be playing in the NFL this upcoming off-season, one elite quarterback will be looking for a new place to play himself. Derek Carr, current QB for the Las Vegas Raiders will be looking to lead another team and we have a few ideas on where he should go.

The Las Vegas Raiders have seemingly moved on from Derek Carr who has been both the face of the franchise and starting quarterback for the past nine seasons. The Raiders quarterback has probably had his worst season since he was a rookie, posting a paltry 60% completion percentage and a quarterback rating just above 86, which is below the league average. Additionally, Carr

finished near the top in interceptions with 14 thrown. Carr almost certainly played his last game for the silver and black if for no other reason than his hefty contract. There is a clause that if Las Vegas releases him before February 15th his 40

million salaries over the next two seasons becomes fully guaranteed. But Carr has a no-trade clause and will definitely have final approval wherever he’s shipped. Whatever eventually happens, Carr has moved on.

On January 12th Derek tweeted a goodbye to Raider Nation. "It breaks my heart I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye in person," Carr wrote, despite staying away from the team for its final two games in a mutual decision to not become a distraction. "We certainly have been on a roller coaster in our 9 years together. From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful and appreciative of the years of support you gave to my family and me. We had our share of both heartbreaking moments and thrilling game-winning drives, and it always felt like you were there next to me. especially hard to say goodbye because I can honestly say that I gave you everything I had, every single day, in season, and in the off-season. It certainly wasn't perfect, but I hope that I was able to leave you with more than a few great memories as Raider fans."

Carr who was drafted by the Raiders in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft and after an impressive training camp and preseason, was named the starter heading into his rookie season. A position he would hold for the rest of his tenure with the Raiders. In his first three seasons, Carr showed promise as a quarterback, setting several franchise records and leading the team to the playoffs in 2016.

But how things seem to change in the NFL.

In recent years, Carr's performance has been inconsistent, and the team has struggled to find success on the field. The Raiders finished with a losing record in four of the past five seasons, and Carr's statistics have not been at the level of some of the top quarterbacks in the league.

There are very few examples of teams and their starting QB parting in an easy fashion and this isn’t one of them either, it’s just business. Carr’s poor performance this season nearly cost rookie head coach Josh McDaniels his job. The Raiders’ roster is built to win now and squandering another year of Davante Adams and Maxx Crosby will not go down well with Mark Davis or Raider Nation. The top brass is running out of patience and McDaniel needs to get it right.

The Raiders have been linked to several potential replacements, first on the list is Tom Brady who nearly signed with the team in 2020 before choosing Tampa Bay. Now that Tom is a free agent all signs are pointing to Vegas baby. One thing is for sure, the Raiders will be looking for a quarterback who can bring stability and consistency to the position and lead the team back to the playoffs. For Carr, it remains to be seen where he will end up next, but he will likely have several teams interested in his services as a veteran quarterback. With that in mind here are three front runners for Derek Carr’s services in 2023.

The Carolina Panthers 

With Carolina holding the ninth overall pick in next year’s draft, it’s doubtful they land a top prospect at quarterback. And with the barn fire that has been typical of the quarterback play since Cam Newton left perhaps the steady hand of Derek Carr could make for a nice fit. Or might just add another bucket of gas to it. Who knows, maybe Carolina throws Sam Darnold into the mix to sweeten a potential trade. I’m sure the Panthers won’t miss him as the last several seasons they have ranked near the bottom of the league in PFF passing ratings. Needless to say, Carr would be a big upgrade.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Why not swap Brady for Carr? With the Buccaneers eliminated from the playoffs, it more and more looks like Brady will be searching for greener pastures as a free agent and those pastures might include reuniting with his former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels who is the Raider head coach. Brady to Adams for a touchdown has a nice ring to it. And on the Carr side of things, the Bucs just signed wide receiver Chris Godwin, and Russell Gage to multi-year contracts as well as having Mike Evans in his current contract. Carr would step into a scenario where he has an upgraded defense and an offensive line as good as he’s ever had.

The Washington Commanders 

With the 16th pick overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, Washington is another team not in a position to scoop up a top quarterback prospect. Their QB position is wide open. Taylor Heinicke was underwhelming in nine games as a starter and is a free agent. Carson Wentz started a handful of games as well and will be released in the offseason. Rookie fifth-rounder Sam Howell will be back next season but it’s likely the Commanders will look to make a splashy add and Derek Carr tops the list. A stout defense and big-time offensive threats like Brian Robinson Jr. and Terry McLaurin might be the fresh start Derek Carr is looking for.

For Derek Carr and everyone else in the NFL that will be moving to different teams, it should be a pretty wild off-season of moves that are going to make the NFL landscape very different coming into next season. It's time to enjoy the ride!