Derek Carr’s time with the Las Vegas Raiders is effectively over, his agent said in a statement posted to Twitter just moments after Carr posted a thank you letter to Raider Nation.
His likely departure was evident once the Raiders decided to bench him in the final weeks of the season to evaluate Jarrett Stidham. Now, the team is in the process of evaluating the trade market for Carr, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.
Carr holds a no-trade clause, but in a market short of capable quarterbacks, there won’t likely be a shortage of teams interested in his services. Here’s a ranking of teams who should be on the phone with the Raiders right now.
8
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
That’s right, even as the Bucs get set to compete in the playoffs with the best quarterback of all-time on their roster, they should be inquiring about Carr. If rumors about Brady moving on to another team are true — or if he decides to finally retire — Carr could keep them competitive next season if they decide not to completely blow up the roster.
7
Houston Texans
If I’m the Texans, I draft C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young. The young quarterbacks would better fit with the timeline of the rest of the roster and come on cheaper deals. However, I have to admit the story of Carr going to where his older brother was the first draft pick in franchise history is pretty cool. And they could really use an upgrade at quarterback.
6
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers probably want to see what they have in third-round pick Matt Corrall, but this team might be more ready to win than former coach Matt Rhule allowed us to believe. They were competitive under interim Steve Wilks, and Carr would certainly elevate their passing attack.
5
New England Patriots
Bill Belichick doesn’t seem completely sold yet on Mac Jones as his starting quarterback. And, I mean, we’ve all seen him play. It’s hard to blame Belichick. He’ll probably still end up rolling with Jones next year, but if he wants a proven vet to take over the job on a roster that’s clearly not far from contending again, Carr would be just that.
4
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts may have dibs on one of the top picks in this year’s draft. But this is a roster many people thought was playoff-ready before the season. Do they really want to plug a rookie into that? Bringing in Carr opens them up to another potential failed signing in the post-Andrew Luck era after Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan didn’t work out, but his ceiling seems higher.
3
New Orleans Saints
Even if Andy Dalton’s contract wasn’t expiring, Carr is a player the Saints should be looking into. Jameis Winston is under contract for one more year, but he doesn’t seem to be the answer at quarterback either. But this is a roster with plenty of playmakers on offense, and Carr could be the piece to bring it all together.
2
Washington Commanders
Commanders fans seem enamored with fifth-round pick Sam Howell after he performed well in his first start and got the win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18. But he’s another case of a QB on a roster that doesn’t have time to develop him. Washington wasn’t far from a playoff berth this year. The team has playmakers. They just need a quarterback, which always seems to be the case in D.C.
1
New York Jets
I can’t think of a more perfect situation for either side. The Jets are strong defensively, they’ll have a potent rushing attack once almost-Rookie of the Year Breece Hall returns from injury, and they have playmakers on the outside, including now potential Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson. They don’t want to waste another draft pick on quarterback with Zach Wilson still on the roster, so bring Carr in force them to compete. Carr would be the perfect leader for this young team, and maybe good enough to get them back to the playoffs.
