Raiders’ Head Coach Josh McDaniels announced on Wednesday that Jarret Stidham would be the starter for the last two games of the regular season. Therefore, Derek Carr is being sent to the bench, possibly ending his tenure as the Raiders quarterback.
The nine-year veteran signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension this past offseason, but the structure of the contract allows Las Vegas to escape the deal as soon as this offseason. Carr is guaranteed $40.4 million in 2023 if not released or traded by March. The Raiders will only surrender a $5 million cap hit in 2023 if they pull the trigger on a cut or trade of Carr this offseason. The 31-year-old quarterback has a no-trade clause in his contract.
Carr is also guaranteed his 2023 salary if he is injured, so that is another plausible reason why the Raiders are benching Carr for the remainder of the season.
With that being said, there are a number of teams who could be interested in Carr’s services for next season, and there are reasons for and against making a trade for Carr for each team.
Derek Carr 2023 destinations: Washington Commanders
The Commanders have been in search of a consistent quarterback for quite some time now, and Derek Carr could be that answer for Washington.
Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke have done close to nothing to prove that they are the surefire answer, and although Carr has some question marks, he is clearly an upgrade. In addition, Heinicke will be a free agent after this season, and the Commanders can clear all of Wentz’s $26.2 million cap hit in 2023. By eliminating that number from their payroll, the Commanders will have $46 million in cap space, opening up enough space for Carr’s $40 million cap hit.
With Washington currently fighting for a playoff spot at 7-7-1, and currently positioned at pick 21, the Commanders will not have an opportunity to draft a quarterback better than Carr, at this moment.
Drafting a quarterback would also signal a possible change at head coach, and if Ron Rivera is still the head man in 2023, there is little chance of Washington drafting a quarterback. Hiring a head coach would open the door to the organization drafting a quarterback, but the mid-late first-round pick would still make it difficult for the Commanders to draft a ready-now quarterback.
The one thing the Commanders need at the quarterback position is stability. Carr has had a down season with 14 interceptions, but it can be argued that Carr has not been paired with a defense like the Commanders possess. It is not a lockdown defense, but it is a formidable defense with young talent that is still gelling together. Washington has a strong front seven but struggles on the back end.
Regardless, Carr will be complemented by Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson and a defense that is an upgrade over the Raiders’ current situation.
Money and roster construction makes a lot of sense for Carr to fit with this team. If the Commanders had a higher pick in the 2023 draft, this would be a totally different conversation. It also has to be seen what happens with Rivera, but right now, the Commanders are certainly a potential fit for Derek Carr.