Las Vegas Raiders: Will the Derek Carr gamble pay off?
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders seem to be gambling on the Derek Carr situation, but will it pay off for Mark Davis and the front office.
The Las Vegas Raiders decided to sit Derek Carr down towards the end of the 2022 NFL season, even with the Silver and Black still technically alive in the AFC Playoff race. The decision to bench their franchise quarterback led everyone to believe his time in Las Vegas was over, and Carr even posted to social media his goodbyes.
However, as we inch closer to the Super Bowl, and only a little over two weeks until Carr’s contract for 2023 becomes guaranteed, the two sides appear to be at an impasse. The Raiders have not allowed Carr’s camp to seek out a trade, and for now, they may play the waiting game, much like the Cleveland Browns did with Baker Mayfield last year, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
According to Florio, the goal there would be for Carr to eventually trim some of his $40.4 million guaranteed to get a trade done. It worked for the Browns, but should the Raiders really gamble with the price tag being double what Mayfield’s was.
For Carr, there is no reason to help the Raiders out at all, and he could easily just wait to be released and pick the team he wants to go to. However, if the Raiders do not release or trade him, that money becomes guaranteed, and they could end up paying $40.4 million for Carr to stand with a clipboard.
Raiders and Carr headed toward an ugly divorce
Whatever way it works out, these two sides are headed toward an ugly divorce, something that did not seem likely when the Raiders were punching their ticket to the playoffs only 13 months ago. Carr has said all the right things during his time with the Raiders, and has stayed quiet during this time as well, but we will get a clear picture of how he feels without him having to say a word depending on how this all shakes out.
The truth is, McDaniels is going to be under the microscope in a big way this offseason, and especially once the regular season rolls around. He and Ziegler have to get the quarterback question right because another 6-win season is likely to spell the end for him in Las Vegas.
Hopefully, for he, and the organization, the Derek Carr gamble will pay off.