The Las Vegas Raiders made it clear that they’re ready to move on from Derek Carr by benching him last month.
And, according to team beat writer Vincent Bonsignore, Vegas didn’t have any long-term plans for Carr as their QB as they didn’t want to be stuck with a quarterback that they “no longer believed in.”
The Raiders concluded Carr was not a long-term fit within weeks of the start of the season. Benching him eliminated the risk of a $40 million injury guarantee kicking in had he gotten hurt in the final two games of the season.
The Raiders were determined not to be handcuffed to a quarterback they no longer believed in and one that represented a major drag on their 2023 salary cap.
While it’s unclear when the Raiders decided that Carr wasn’t going to be their man, the report certainly reads as if they did so early in the season. Bonsignore notes that the decision had been “brewing for more than a month and came with the blessing of owner Mark Davis.”
The Raiders have money tied up in head coach Josh McDaniels at the moment and will give him a chance to prove himself as a head coach in the NFL, though their campaign hasn’t been a positive one. With a new QB likely to come in, management will not be as tolerant next season, however.
It’s going to be an interesting offseason for Vegas, with several names being rumored as it pertains to who’s set to be their next quarterback, including Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Mac Jones. But we’ll just have to wait and see.
In any case, the Raiders can still get value for Carr, who has already made his name as one of the better QBs in the league. When it comes to the QB position, free agency might be where they find their man.
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As for Carr, here are a few places he could wind up:
