After benching Derek Carr ahead of Sunday’s game against the 49ers, the Raiders appear ready to move on from their incumbent quarterback. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Las Vegas will explore trading Carr soon after the season, and the team is almost certain to move on from him one way or another.
The Raiders have to make a decision on Carr early in the offseason, as his base salary for 2023 and part of 2024 is due to become fully guaranteed three days after the Super Bowl. Carr is set to earn $32.9 million as part of a three-year extension which was signed in April runs through 2025, and he will be guaranteed $7.5 for the following season if he remains on the roster on Feb. 15.
If Las Vegas can’t find a trade partner, the Raiders can simply release Carr with minimal penalty. That route would cost the team approximately $5 million in dead cap space but would save it over $29 million against the cap for the 2023 season.
Carr has spent his entire pro career with the Raiders, playing in 142 of a possible 144 regular-season games. He had four consecutive seasons with over 4,000 yards passing, but with his benching this season, he will not reach that mark for the first time since 2017.
The veteran quarterback does have a no-trade clause in his contract, allowing him to have a say in the trade discussions. Las Vegas could seek a deal before the Super Bowl, but it wouldn’t become official until the new league year begins in March.
