Derek Carr news and rumors: Raiders reporter reveals two teams best positioned to move for benched QB
Derek Carr is set to be benched by the Las Vegas Raiders for the rest of their two remaining games of the season. Head Coach Josh McDaniels stated that Jarrett Stidham will be their quarterback for the last two games.
The development came as a shock to many as the Raiders were still not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, though it gave rise to a whole new discussion: landing spots for Derek Carr.
McDaniels since claimed that he will use this time to analyse the young quarterback, Stidham.
Since the news of Carr getting benched broke, the common consensus is that the franchise will likely trade or release Carr after the season.
Here's what Raiders beat reporter Tashan Reed had to say about the Derek Carr saga via The Atheltic:
"On the Raiders side of things, the Commanders and Falcons, who are both offering two second-round picks , are offering the best packages."
T"he Falcons’ offer is better because their 2023 second-round pick is better — they’re set to pick No. 38 while the Commanders are at No. 53 — but that’s where Carr’s preferences come into play."
He believes that Carr would rather opt to play for the Washington Commanders than the Atlanta Falcons since the Commanders have a much better roaster.
Here's what Reed said about the franchise's future without Carr:
"From there, the Raiders can pursue their Carr replacement — perhaps attempting to sign Brady, trade for Aaron Rodgers or draft their quarterback of the future — and enter a new era in Las Vegas."
The Raiders are likely to target a veteran quarterback as their roster is ready to contend, and bringing in a young quarterback via the draft could tempt the veterans to leave the team.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the Raiders, as Carr is expected to be seen playing for another team next season.
Raiders are benching Derek Carr and turning to Jarrett Stidham as their new starting QB.
Carr has thrown a league-leading 14 interceptions— including three Saturday night during a 13-10 loss to the Steelers.
Stidham has thrown only 61 passes and never has started an NFL game. https://t.co/IJa1LfYGXT
Why was Derek Carr benched?
The Las Vegas Raiders had high hopes coming into the season but nothing has gone their way. They are currently entering Week 17 and Carr hasn't played well this season.
They brought in Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers but he hasn't been able to gel in the offense as was expected. The incompetence of head coach Josh McDaniels has also been a reason for their woes, but the Raiders seemingly don't want to explore the option of firing him just yet, though an offseason inquest could certainly change things.
After being informed of his benching, Raiders QB Derek Carr has left the team, with their permission, to avoid being a distraction over the final two weeks of the season, according to a source.
As a result, benching Derek Carr was the only option left.
The franchise is likely to be with a new quarterback under center next season. Carr has a passer rating of 86.3 for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in 15 games this season. Multiple teams are expected to be in the race to bring him on board after the season ends.