Derek Carr may have played his final game in a Raiders uniform.
While the veteran quarterback has been benched for the final two games of the season, with the Raiders starting Jarrett Stidham in his place, the Raiders are expected to explore trading Carr, NFL Network reported on Sunday.
A decision on Carr’s future in Las Vegas could be expedited by his contract. His $32.9 million base salary for 2023 and $7.5 million of his 2024 base salary becomes fully guaranteed if he is still on the Raiders roster three days after the Super Bowl, per NFL Network. Trades cannot become official until the start of the new league year, on March 15, though they can be agreed to before then.
If the Raiders are unable to find a trade partner for Carr, who has a no-trade clause, by three days after the Super Bowl, they could release him before then to avoid being on the hook for more than $40 million in guaranteed money.
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The Jets could be one of the potential landing spots for Carr, who is expected to join Jimmy Garoppolo and Tom Brady among the available quarterbacks this offseason.
Carr, who will turn 32 in March, has spent all nine years of his NFL career with the Raiders. This season, he leads the league with 14 interceptions while completing 60.8 percent of his passes for 3,522 yards and 24 touchdowns.
In the wake of his benching, Carr has stepped away from the team for the final two weeks of the season to avoid distractions. In the meantime, the Raiders are set to get a better look at Stidham, 26, whom coach Josh McDaniels previously had as a backup with the Patriots.
