Ranking Derek Carr top 5 landing spots in 2023 following his release

The Las Vegas Raiders wanted to trade Derek Carr this offseason but once he made it clear he would not waive the no-trade clause on his contract, they had no choice but release him. Carr is now free to sign with any team he pleases and he will have no shortage of suitors.

The former Fresno State Bulldog isn’t an upper-echelon quarterback but he’s shown he can play at a high level if he’s given a solid supporting cast. So what are the best landing spots for him? Here’s a ranking of the five best.

No. 5 potential landing spot for Derek Carr in 2023 – Indianapolis Colts

After a lengthy search, the Indianapolis Colts chose Shane Steichen as their head coach. Steichen was the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles the last two years and turned heads for his work with Jalen Hurts and Gardner Minshew to a lesser degree. Indy doesn’t currently have a long-term answer at quarterback and finding one will be one of their top priorities this offseason.

Carr would add stability at quarterback from the get-to and would allow Colts general manager Chris Ballard to address other position needs. Having said that, it’s uncertain if the veteran quarterback would like to be part of a rebuild.

Steichen might manage to right the ship but Indianapolis doesn’t have enough pieces in place to realistically compete for a playoff spot, which could potentially put Carr under unnecessary pressure to perform.

Things can change from one year to another in the NFL landscape and the Colts could turn out to be pretty good in 2024. But for the time being, they don’t look like an appealing destination for Carr.