NFL Trade Rumors: Insider reveals clear front-runner for Derek Carr move
Derek Carr appears to have played his last game for the Las Vegas Raiders. He was benched for the final two games of the 2022 NFL season in favor of Jarrett Stidham after a disappointing year. All reports clearly indicate that he is currently on the trade block as the Raiders look to move on from their veteran quarterback.
One of the teams that Derek Carr has been most closely connected to is the New Orleans Saints. They are also in the market for a new starting quarterback ahead of the 2023 NFL season. The Saints are reportedly moving on from Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston and are actively looking to make changes to their quarterback position.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport recently appeared on an episode of the Pat McAfee Show to provide a major update on Carr potentially being traded to the Saints:
"The Saints are the frontrunners for Derek Carr. That is real. It is a place that would make a ton of sense for him and Dennis Allen is there, who was his head coach in Oakland. And so, the relationship has been good. They are speaking today. They've had communication and it's all good."
"The Saints are the frontrunner for Derek Carr and it's a place that would make a ton of sense for him" ~ @RapSheet
#PMSinAZ #Saints https://t.co/bbAoiaOqvV
Carr currently has a no-trade clause in his contract. This means he has the ability to reject a trade to any team that the Raiders try to send him to. He will have to approve any deal before it's finalized. It's unclear if he's interested in joining the Saints, but Rapoport seems to believe he would be willing to accept a trade to New Orleans.
It was also pointed out that the Raiders are seeking compensation in the 2023 NFL Draft in exchange for Carr. While the exact details of their desired return are yet to be officially revealed, it's believed that they are potentially looking for somewhere in the neighborhood of a third-round pick.
Derek Carr's disappointing 2022 NFL season is why Las Vegas Raiders are looking to trade him
Derek Carr entered the 2022 NFL season with extremely high expectations. He had helped the Las Vegas Raiders reach the NFL Playoffs in the 2021 season and was expected to at least return again and potentially make a deep run. This is especially true considering the major upgrades they made to their roster prior to the start of the 2022 season.
The Raiders added Davante Adams, one of the best wide receivers, and Chandler Jones, an elite pass rusher, during the 2022 NFL offseason. This elevated Carr's expectations even higher. However, things didn't go as planned at all. Carr had a passer rating of 86.3 with 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 15 games. As a result, the Raiders finished the season with a disastrous 6-11 record.
The franchise seems to have put most of the blame on Derek Carr himself. He's now expected to be playing for a different team in the 2023 NFL season after spending his entire career so far with the Raiders.