The Las Vegas Raiders and Derek Carr parted ways after nine seasons together this offseason, and the breakup certainly was not a good one.
After nine seasons as the starting quarterback for the Raiders franchise, Derek Carr will take his first snaps of the 2023 NFL season as the starter for the New Orleans Saints. Carr broke nearly every statistical passing record during his time with the Silver and Black but was shown the door unceremoniously this past season.
Down the stretch of the season, and with the Raiders technically still alive in the playoff hunt, head coach Josh McDaniels sent Carr to the bench in favor of Jarrett Stidham. That resulted in Carr leaving the team, and on Valentine's Day, the franchise made it official, granting his release.
in a recent piece by Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Carr spoke about the change in scenery, and what it has meant to him at this point in his career.
"I think being in this building has rejuvenated me. It’s been a breath of fresh air for me. I never wanted to leave Las Vegas, but when I walked into this building after the last couple of months, I’m like, man, I’m glad I’m here."Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints
It is clear that Carr is trying to say all the right things in Year 1 with the Saints, as he has a loaded offense, and has been reunited with his first head coach, Dennis Allen. For Raiders fans, Carr has always tried to say the right things in press conferences, but this was a very clear shot at the organization.
Raiders in good hands with Jimmy Garoppolo
With Carr gone, the Raiders will turn to Jimmy Garoppolo, a veteran who has won a ton of football games in his NFL career. In his last full healthy season in the NFL, Jimmy G helped lead the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl, so the team is in good hands with him if he can stay healthy.
Las Vegas has seen enough of Carr, and it was clear that the marriage between him and Josh McDaniels was not a good one. Carr is in a good spot in New Orleans, and was recently ranked in the top-5 out of starting quarterbacks in the NFC, so he definitely picked a good spot to land.