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Las Vegas Raiders News & Rumors

Raiders To Release Derek Carr

February 14th, 2023 at 2:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

FEBRUARY 14: The Raiders officially released Carr, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Carr will hit the market a month before free agency, allowing him to determine his 2023 plans weeks ahead of his free agent QB peers. The Raiders save $29.3MM in cap space by making this move.

FEBRUARY 13: With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, Derek Carr‘s guarantee vesting date is fast approaching. The Raiders do not plan to wait until the deadline. They will release their longtime starting quarterback Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link).

The Raiders would have until 3pm CT Wednesday to find a Carr trade partner, but the veteran passer has already indicated he will not waive his no-trade clause. That leaves the Raiders with little choice here, given their actions to this point. They will cut Carr to avoid paying the $40.4MM guarantee.

This unique free agency derby will feature a few teams. The Saints, whom Albert Breer of SI.com notes are the only team to send the Raiders a Carr trade offer, will be one. The Jets are believed to view Carr as an Aaron Rodgers backup plan, while Rapoport notes the Panthers, Titans and perhaps others will be in the mix.

Tuesday’s transaction will not only end this unusual divorce and spur a fascinating pursuit — one that will put teams to decisions on going after Carr now or waiting for other options later — but it will also wrap the Raiders’ longest-running partnership with a starting quarterback. Although Ken Stabler was a Raider longer than Carr, the Hall of Famer did not begin his run as a full-time starter until his sixth season (1973). The Raiders needed Carr from the jump, plugging him into the lineup in Week 1 of his rookie season. Carr ended up starting 142 games as a Raider, but the team stopped that streak abruptly with a benching ahead of its Week 17 game last season.

The Raiders, who will only be hit with $5.6MM in dead money by this release, gauged Carr’s fit in Josh McDaniels‘ offense via their three-year extension agreement. But that deal’s escape hatch — the Feb. 15 guarantee vesting date — will trigger Las Vegas’ quarterback search. Carr constantly landed in trade rumors under previous regimes, but the Raiders held onto him through the Jack Del Rio and Jon Gruden‘s stays. The Raiders did not have much luck at quarterback in the years immediately before taking Carr in the 2014 second round, with the Carson Palmer and JaMarcus Russell moves in particular costing the team dearly. But McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler will replace Carr this year.

Carr, 32 in March, could have been a potential chip at last year’s trade deadline, but The Athletic’s Vic Tafur notes (subscription required) the Raiders were not ready to pull the plug at that point. Even after a 24-0 loss to the Saints, the Raiders hoped Carr and McDaniels would mesh down the stretch. The 2-5 team stayed the course, but late in a season that saw Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow sidelined for extended stretches, the Silver and Black showed their cards with the benching. Davante Adams has said he remains committed to the Raiders, despite Carr driving him to seek out Vegas as a destination last year.

Carr and his wife trekked to New Orleans for a Raiders-approved visit — the only meeting the team permitted — and the summit lasted two days. Carr wanted to meet with every interested team, per Tafur, but the Raiders worried the 10th-year veteran would use those summits to work out a free agency agreement. Now, instead of Carr following the Matthew Stafford or Alex Smith winter trade paths, he will be a free agent. Connections to a host of teams are sure to follow.

The Raiders wanted a third-round pick. It is unclear if the Saints offered that, but they will have a chance to woo Carr on the market. New Orleans would need to backload a Carr contract, being nearly $60MM over the cap. While February cap gymnastics are old hat for GM Mickey Loomis, the Saints appear set to enter a competitive chase for a free agent quarterback for the first time since they signed Drew Brees in 2006. New Orleans, which waded deep into the Deshaun Watson trade sweepstakes last year, is unlikely to retain Jameis Winston and has not been aggressive in attempting to re-sign Andy Dalton. Carr appears the target, though he will be for other teams as well.

The Jets’ recent inquiry about Rodgers’ availability makes sense, with Carr about to hit the market. New York’s might be the most intriguing decision: go after Carr now or risk striking out on Rodgers. Jimmy Garoppolo also looms as a later potential Rodgers consolation prize — for both the Jets and Raiders — and the Titans’ involvement here points to Ryan Tannehill being available as well.

The Titans have used Tannehill as their primary starter for the past four seasons, and while the team promoted OC Tim Kelly, a Carr chase makes Tannehill’s Tennessee status tenuous. The Titans can save $27MM by designating Tannehill as a post-June 1 cut. A past restructure would make a standard Tannehill release more costly for the AFC South franchise. Even though the Titans kept Tannehill in the loop regarding Kelly’s hire, per Titans.com’s Jim Wyatt, one season remains on his contract.

Carolina has sought a long-term QB answer since cutting Cam Newton in 2020. But the Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield efforts fell short of expectations. Frank Reich went through a few veterans in Indianapolis as well, which would make the Panthers diving back into the veteran market interesting. The Panthers hold the No. 9 overall pick, putting them in play for a quarterback pick or a trade-up maneuver. A Carr acquisition would presumably prevent either. Carolina looks to be a second-tier suitor here, per David Newton of ESPN.com, who notes the Panthers could be interested if the price drops below its expected point (Twitter link).

Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order

February 13th, 2023 at 9:56am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LVII in the books, the order of the final two first-round picks in April’s draft have been finalized. The Chiefs once again find themselves at the bottom of the order by virtue of winning their second Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.

The last time they found themselves in that position, they added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in what was seen as a selection which would greatly boost their rushing attack. A repeat of that decision is unlikely this time around, given the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco as the team’s lead back down the stretch, including the Super Bowl in which Edwards-Helaire was deactivated.

For the Eagles, the fact that their own first-rounder will be one spot higher than Kansas City’s is of course no consolation for the outcome of the game. Nevertheless, Philadelphia will have two chances – since they also have the Saints’ top choice, sitting at No. 10 overall – to add high-end rookies to an already strong core. The success both teams enjoyed in 2022, coupled with the strengths of their respective front offices, should have them well-positioned to contend once again next season.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s close:

  1. Chicago Bears: 3-14
  2. Houston Texans: 3-13-1
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  4. Indianapolis Colts: 4-12-1
  5. Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
  6. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  7. Las Vegas Raiders: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Carolina Panthers: 7-10
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
  11. Tennessee Titans: 7-10
  12. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  13. New York Jets: 7-10
  14. New England Patriots: 8-9
  15. Green Bay Packers: 8-9
  16. Washington Commanders: 8-8-1
  17. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
  18. Detroit Lions: 9-8
  19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9
  20. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  21. Los Angeles Chargers: 10-7
  22. Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
  23. Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
  24. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  25. New York Giants: 9-7-1
  26. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  27. Buffalo Bills: 13-3
  28. Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
  29. New Orleans Saints (via 49ers through Broncos)
  30. Philadelphia Eagles: 14-3
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3

This year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice

Derek Carr Will Veto Potential Trades; QB Expected To Be Released

February 12th, 2023 at 3:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

As Derek Carr moves another day closer to finding out his future with the Raiders, he has reportedly sent a clear message to his current employer. The quarterback will not accept a trade to the Saints or any other interested team, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

As a result, Rapoport notes, the Raiders will be left with no other option but to release him in the coming days. Carr has over $40MM in guaranteed money set to vest this week, and with Vegas having moved on from him, a trade represented their only way of receiving compensation while relieving themselves of that financial obligation. Carr has a no-trade clause, however, which gave him control of the situation at all times in this process, something which he has clearly used.

The Raiders prevented the 31-year-old from negotiating with potential new teams until trade compensation had been agreed upon. That made it noteworthy when they allowed him to visit the Saints this past week, with a subsequent report indicating the two teams had an agreement in place. Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero tweets that it was Carr’s contract which stood in the way of a deal being finalized to send him to the NFC South.

A report emerged over the weekend that Vegas’ asking price was a third-round pick. The Saints could have easily met that request, given their current allotment of selections in this year’s draft, but they find themselves in dire straights from a financial standpoint. New Orleans is more than $60MM over the cap at the moment, so acquiring Carr via trade would have added considerably to the salary cap gymnastics general manager Mickey Loomis has become known for in recent years.

Carr has a scheduled cap hit of $34.9MM in 2023, and two more years on his existing contract with hits over $43MM. Given the absence of guarantees on the pact (at the moment), however, the Raiders would see more than $29MM in savings by releasing Carr in the immediate future. Designating him as a post-June 1 cut would see that figure grow to $33MM weighed against comparably small dead cap charges.

Of course, this news in no way precludes the Saints from still ultimately landing Carr as a free agent. The four-time Pro Bowler will be free to sign anywhere immediately following his release, as opposed to players who can only negotiate prior to the start of the new league year in mid-March. New Orleans should be in the market for a new signal-caller after the production seen in 2022 from veterans Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston. Carr will certainly have other suitors as well, however.

The former second-rounder had a down year this past season, the first with head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler at the helm. Still, he will headline a QB market which may or may not see the likes of Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Daniel Jones and Geno Smith be on the move through trades or free agent deals. The Jets are widely understood to be all-in on Rodgers, but they are reportedly prepared to target Carr as a secondary option.

The value of a deal Carr is able to land on the open market will no doubt be linked to the perceived availability of those other passers. Still, with his release imminent, it likely won’t be long until he has found his next NFL home.

Latest On Potential Derek Carr Trade

February 11th, 2023 at 3:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tomorrow’s Super Bowl has obviously been the league’s top storyline in recent days, but the future of Derek Carr has generated plenty of interest as well. The Raiders quarterback is close to having more than $40MM in guaranteed money vest, meaning clarity could emerge soon.

[RELATED: Saints Viewed As Carr Frontrunners]

Vegas allowed Carr, 31, to visit the Saints this week, having previously prevented him from meeting with teams which had yet to agree on trade compensation. The fact that New Orleans hosted Carr meant that at least the framework of a deal has been agreed upon. More details have emerged on that front.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Raiders are seeking a third-round pick in exchange for Carr. Such a selection has been seen in plenty of high-profile QB trades in recent years, but Fowler is likely accurate in calling the ask a “modest” one. Of course, Carr has significant leverage in this situation by holding a no-trade clause and thus having the ability to force the Raiders to release him in the coming days and sign with the Saints (or any other potential suitor, of which there would be several) as a free agent.

New Orleans once again holds a first-round pick via the Sean Payton trade, but also the 41st and 72nd overall selections in this year’s draft. The latter would be headed Vegas’ way if previous reporting on terms being agreed upon holds true. The other complicating factor in this situation, though, is of course Carr’s contract and the Saints’ current financial situation.

New Orleans is more than $60MM over the 2023 salary cap ceiling, leaving them with more cost-cutting to do than any other team around the NFL before the new league year begins in mid-March. Carr has a scheduled cap hit of $34.9MM in 2023, and $7MM of his 2024 salary will become guaranteed this week barring a restructure. As Fowler and colleague Dan Graziano note, unsurprisingly, the Saints would be keenly interested in lowering Carr’s financial cost upon acquisition, but that the four-time Pro Bowler has no need (at least at this point) to agree to do so.

Carr would likely provide an upgrade under center to the Saints compared to their 2022 setup of Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston. The Raiders, meanwhile, have made it clear they are prepared to move on to a new era at the position, leaving attention squarely placed on Carr himself as he weighs his options.

Coaching Notes: Burke, Bolts, Wendell, Jags

February 11th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

In the early days of the Cardinals‘ search for their next head coach, it was uncertain which assistants would be back. That still may be the case. But the Browns sought to hire one of the Cards’ assistants in January. Cleveland hiring Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator prompted an interview request for Arizona defensive line coach Matt Burke, per Albert Breer of SI.com (on Twitter). Burke had been the Lions’ linebackers coach throughout Schwartz’s time as Detroit’s HC, and the Browns wanted to reunite the veteran assistant with their new DC. But the Cardinals blocked the move, Breer adds.

This ended up working out well for Burke. Weeks later, the Texans filling their head coaching post led to DeMeco Ryans bringing him in for a defensive coordinator interview. Burke is now Houston’s DC, and he may be in position to call plays. Teams cannot block position coaches from interviewing for coordinator jobs any longer. The Cardinals’ HC hire will not come to pass until at least next week. Then, Arizona’s staff will start to take shape. Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • Former Patriots offensive lineman Ryan Wendell will receive his first chance as an offensive line coach. The Rams are hiring him to lead their O-line, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets. Wendell, 36, spent the past four seasons with the Bills — the past three as their assistant O-line coach. Wendell played eight seasons with the Patriots, three as a regular starter, and was the team’s starting right guard during its Super Bowl XLIX-winning season in 2014. After beginning his coaching run in Buffalo, Wendell will take over a Rams O-line that struggled consistently last season.
  • The Chargers are in the process of filling out Kellen Moore‘s new offensive staff. They interviewed Raiders offensive assistant Fred Walker for their quarterbacks coach position, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. One of Josh McDaniels‘ hires last year, Walker came to Las Vegas after a run on Duke’s staff under David Cutcliffe. The first of those years, back in 2018, featured Walker working as Daniel Jones‘ QBs coach.
  • Former Browns defensive backs coach Jeff Howard had multiple options to continue his career. He received offers from both the Chargers and Panthers, according to ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter, who notes Howard chose the Bolts (Twitter link). Howard, an NFL assistant for the past 10 seasons, will be the Chargers’ next linebackers coach. The 40-year-old staffer spent seven years as a Vikings assistant before taking the Browns’ DBs job in 2020.
  • In addition to Wendell, the Bills will lose another assistant. Buffalo wide receivers coach Chad Hall will leave to take the same position with the Jaguars, Pelissero notes (via Twitter). Hall, 36, had spent the past four seasons as the Bills’ wideouts coach and had been with the team since Sean McDermott arrived in 2017. Hall’s contract had expired. An NFL receiver from 2010-14, Hall’s last stop came with the Jaguars. He also began his career with the Eagles, when current Jags HC Doug Pederson was on staff.
  • Sean Payton had eyed Dan Roushar, a longtime Saints assistant, for a spot on his Broncos staff. But the veteran assistant will instead stay in Louisiana. Roushar, whom the Saints dismissed last month, is expected to land on Tulane’s staff, Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com tweets. Payton lured Roushar out of the college ranks in 2013, and he spent 10 seasons with the Saints coaching multiple positions. Payton will undoubtedly add some of his former Saints coworkers to his Broncos staff — Ronald Curry has interviewed for Denver’s OC job — but Roushar will return to the college game.

AFC West Notes: Brown, Chargers, Raiders

February 10th, 2023 at 12:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Orlando Brown Jr. will command either a second franchise tag, another lucrative Chiefs extension offer or a massive free agency accord. The four-time Pro Bowler wants to stay in Kansas City, but it certainly does not sound like any hometown discount will be considered.

“Yeah, absolutely, I want to stay here, but the business is the business,” Brown said, via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. “Things happen. Whatever happens, man, I’ll be prepared to go.”

This stance is unsurprising, given how the franchise-tagged tackle played his 2022 negotiations. Despite acquiring Brown via trade in 2021, the Chiefs tabled extension talks until last year. Brown changed agents, hiring a representative without a football background, and said Kansas City’s offer was too light on guarantees for him to sign. The Chiefs offered Brown a six-year, $139MM deal that contained the second-most guarantees among tackles, and although a bloated final-year salary existed to increase the AAV to top Trent Williams‘ $23MM mark, Brown passed. This rankled some in the organization. Pro Football Focus viewed the mammoth left tackle as making slight improvements in 2022, slotting him as a top-20 player at the position. Barring a major injury in Super Bowl LVII, Brown will be in strong negotiating position again soon.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • Justin Herbert will be taking some time off ahead of the Chargers‘ offseason program. The star quarterback underwent surgery to address a shoulder labrum injury, according to the team. Herbert underwent the procedure on his nonthrowing shoulder, which became an issue late in the season. The Chargers expect their QB to be ready in time for their offseason program, which will be a bit more important for Herbert and Co. due to the team having changed offensive coordinators.
  • On the OC topic, the Chargers will entrust Herbert’s fourth season to Kellen Moore. The 33-year-old play-caller made a quick move from Dallas to L.A., being informed he was not returning for a fifth season as the Cowboys’ OC to landing the Bolts job within a day. Prior to the Chargers moving quickly on Moore, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes they were leaning toward hiring Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson (Twitter link). Multiple coordinator-seeking teams believed Robinson, a former Brandon Staley coworker, would land the gig. Robinson has interviewed for the Ravens’ OC position, but as of now, the young assistant is set to return to the Rams.
  • Kyzir White departed the Chargers after a productive contract year, one that led the linebacker to the Eagles. Set to start in Super Bowl LVII, White is still auditioning for a long-term payday. The Eagles gave the converted safety a one-year, $3MM deal. Despite White tallying a career-high 144 tackles and starting 17 games for the 2021 Chargers, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper notes Staley’s system not placing a high value on off-ball ‘backers led the Bolts to let him walk (subscription required). This could be relevant intel for the Bolts’ Kenneth Murray plan. The team chose Murray in the first round before Staley’s arrival; his fifth-year option will cost $12.72MM.
  • The Bolts should be expected to consider re-signing right tackle Trey Pipkins, per Popper. Winning the right-side job in training camp after making offseason improvements, Pipkins suffered an MCL sprain and aggravated the injury twice upon returning. The free agent-to-be still started 14 games. Pro Football Focus ranked Pipkins 67th among tackles, though Popper notes the Chargers will likely hold the former third-round pick in higher regard compared to the rest of the league. It will be interesting to see what Pipkins’ market produces, as starter-caliber tackles generally do well in free agency.
  • Adam Butler secured a pretty nice reserve/futures deal with the Raiders. The veteran defensive tackle’s one-year pact includes $485.8K guaranteed, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, adding the contract can spike to $2MM. A former Patriots regular, Butler did not play in 2022 after being cut by the Dolphins during training camp.

Saints Viewed As Derek Carr Frontrunners

February 9th, 2023 at 6:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

6:03pm: Carr concluded his visit, Sean Fazende of FOX 8 tweets. The ball remains in the 31-year-old quarterback’s court. If Carr is willing to waive his no-trade clause, the Raiders and Saints will have the green light to finalize trade terms. If not, free agency looks like the next step here.

5:33pm: Derek Carr remains in New Orleans for a second day of this Raiders-approved visit. After the Carr-Saints meeting wrapped at around 10:30pm Wednesday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football notes (via Twitter) the meeting has continued today.

Dennis Allen and Saints brass went to dinner with Carr on Wednesday night, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who adds New Orleans is viewed as the frontrunner to land the nine-year veteran (video link). The Raiders and Saints have not agreed completely on terms, but Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets the framework of an agreement is in place.

Initially, the Raiders were not prepared to allow Carr to speak with any team that had not agreed on trade terms. By broadening that baseline to suitors who are in the ballpark of Las Vegas’ preferred compensation, a visit came to pass. Carr wields a no-trade clause, giving him the ability to nix a Raiders-Saints agreement and move closer to free agency. No deal is expected to be finalized Thursday, Rapoport adds.

Six days remain until Carr’s $40.4MM guarantee vests. The Raiders will not pay their longtime quarterback that money, which will lead to a trade or release. The Saints, whose Carr interest generated buzz at the Senior Bowl, are almost the de facto frontrunners here. No other team having been granted permission to speak with Carr. Raiders potential concerns about Carr’s agent using talks to gauge free agency interest helped lead to the narrow parameters on a visit. Even though Carr has only spoken with the Saints, other teams have looked into this early free agency sweepstakes.

The Commanders and Jets were mentioned as suitors late last month, and the Jets are examining Carr. The Commanders are taking a somewhat unexpected offseason course, at least compared to how they have proceeded in recent offseasons. Expected to shed $26MM-plus by releasing Carson Wentz, Washington is planning to give Sam Howell a long look as a potential starter. The team is still monitoring veterans, but not to the degree it did in 2022. Commanders connections to just about every potentially available vet sprang up last year, leading to the Wentz swap. Despite Howell being a fifth-round pick and making on appearance as a rookie, he appears to have a decent chance to be Washington’s 2023 starter.

Expected to dive far deeper into the veteran QB pool, the Jets will need to determine if they want to pursue Carr now or wait for the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Jimmy Garoppolo or another potentially available arm after this February Carr chase wraps up. The Raiders have also been connected to Garoppolo and Rodgers, raising the stakes for a Jets team that has been tied to vet QBs for weeks.

New Orleans has Jameis Winston under contract through 2023, but after benching Drew Brees‘ initial successor, the Saints should not be expected to retain him. Not when they are $60MM over the cap. As of mid-January, no Andy Dalton talks had occurred either. While the Saints did obtain a first-round pick from the Broncos in the Sean Payton trade, that pick sits at No. 29 overall. This draft’s top four QBs will likely be gone by that point, and a veteran would seem to complement the Saints’ experienced roster better anyway.

Saints To Meet With Raiders QB Derek Carr; Teams Have Agreed On Compensation

February 7th, 2023 at 6:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

6:55pm: Trade compensation is no longer believed to be an issue between the teams. The sides have agreed to that part of this deal, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets. The Raiders had prevented Carr from speaking with teams that had not agreed on trade terms. That part of this process being checked off puts the ball in Carr’s court.

5:44pm: The Derek Carr guarantee vests in eight days, and the Raiders will allow their outgoing quarterback to meet with a team ahead of that date. The Saints will host Carr on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Saints-Carr buzz has built for a bit now, but the nine-year Raiders starter holds a no-trade clause. Both Carr and QB-needy teams have been connected to waiting out this trade process and going into free agency. But the Saints are at least exploring a trade.

New Orleans has been looking into Carr for a while now, and Rapoport adds Carr is doing his due diligence on the NFC South team. The Saints do not have any question marks when it comes to their offensive staff, with the team retaining offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael for a 14th season. After Sean Payton‘s 2022 exit, Carmichael stepped back into the play-calling seat — one he occupied during Payton’s 2012 Bountygate ban.

A trade would require the Saints to pick up the $40.4MM guarantee due Feb. 15. While Mickey Loomis has earned justified praise for his cap navigation, this would be a new challenge for the veteran GM. Of course, they were ready to add Deshaun Watson last year. The Saints, per usual, rank at the bottom of the league for cap space; they are more than $60MM over the $224.8MM salary ceiling. Loomis’ abilities here should not be doubted, but Carr’s AAV will be far north of Drew Brees‘ run of deals. The sides can certainly renegotiate, however.

This meeting will bring a reunion as well. Dennis Allen resided as the Raiders’ HC when the team drafted Carr in the 2014 second round. That partnership did not last long, as the Raiders fired Allen early in his second season. But the Raiders rolled with their rookie quarterback to start that season. This familiarity could appeal to Carr, though he also could also nix any trade and take his chances in an early free agency run. Should the Raiders release Carr before the guarantee vests, he would be free to sign at any point as a street free agent. Unrestricted free agents cannot agree to terms with teams until the legal tampering period begins March 13.

Allen and then-GM Reggie McKenzie gave the Raiders the longest-tenured QB1 in franchise history; Carr has missed just three career starts (counting a 2016 wild-card game) due to injury. But the Silver and Black’s new regime signaled a change was coming when it benched Carr ahead of Week 17. Carr left the Raiders at that point. His $40MM-per-year contract runs through 2025, but the Raiders building an escape hatch has become relevant.

The Raiders would be tagged with less than $6MM in dead money by jettisoning Carr, whose completion percentage fell by nearly eight points last season. Carr did complete 68% of his throws during his final year in Jon Gruden‘s offense, helping the Raiders to the 2021 playoffs despite Henry Ruggs‘ release and Darren Waller‘s midseason injury.

Increased buzz about a Saints-Carr union emerged at the Senior Bowl last week. That came after a report indicated the Saints were one of the teams doing homework on Carr. The Commanders and Jets were among that contingent, too, and any team that pursues Carr must also consider this early strike will effectively prevent a pursuit of Jimmy Garoppolo or Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers is traded, it will almost definitely be to an AFC destination. That opens a Carr-to-NFC door now, and the Saints make sense as a suitor. They have not found a steady option at quarterback since Brees’ 2021 retirement.

After missing out on Watson, Saints re-signed Jameis Winston in March 2022. They gave their initial Brees successor a two-year, $28MM deal. But the team quickly decided to go with Andy Dalton, not giving Winston his job back after he returned from injury. Dalton started New Orleans’ final 14 games and did rank ninth in passer rating. The longtime Cincinnati starter finished 21st in QBR, however. The Saints signed Dalton to a one-year, $3.5MM deal in 2022. Should the team be interested in bringing him back to compete for the starting job, a raise would be in order. No known negotiations have taken place. At 35, Dalton is more than three years older than Carr, who turns 32 in March.

Last week, Carr confirmed reports the Raiders were not allowing him to speak with teams. But a subsequent report clarified the Raiders would allow Carr and his agent to talk with teams — but only suitors who had met the Raiders’ asking price. The Saints being granted permission to speak with Carr points to the parameters of a trade being worked out. Even if that is the case, Carr still holds the keys here. A major QB domino could hinge on Wednesday’s meeting.

Regarding trade capital, the Saints obtained a first-round pick from the Broncos for Payton. But that is not expected to be in play here. After Round 1, New Orleans holds the Nos. 40 and 71 overall picks.

Latest On Raiders, Josh Jacobs

February 7th, 2023 at 11:52am CST by Adam La Rose

The biggest storyline surrounding the Raiders at the moment is the future of outgoing quarterback Derek Carr. Another key member of their offense also faces the possibility of playing elsewhere, despite the mutual interest which exists to keep him in Las Vegas.

Running back Josh Jacobs is a pending free agent, but he made it clear last month that he would be in favor of a new contract allowing him to remain with the Raiders. When asked at the Pro Bowl weekend about upcoming negotiations with the team, the 24-year-old said he expected them to begin in the coming days (Twitter link via Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal).

The former first-rounder is due for a new contract since the Raiders declined his fifth-year option last offseason. That move added to the financial pressures of the 2022 campaign from Jacobs’ perspective, and he responded in emphatic fashion. The Alabama product led the league in rushing and scrimmage yards, setting new career-highs across the board. That leaves him feeling comfortable with respect to contract talks.

“I feel like I’m in the driver’s seat,” Jacobs said, via Tashan Reed of The Athletic (subscription required). “I control the ship. However it goes, that’s how it’s going to go, you know what I’m saying? So, I’m not too much worried about it, but it’s definitely got to make sense.”

Jacobs played himself into a considerable raise this year, but his market value could shift in the near future depending on how other high-end backs set to hit free agency fare. The possibility of a franchise tag (valued at $10.1MM or an estimated $16.5MM, depending on if the team uses the non-exclusive or exclusive tag) looms, something which Jacobs unsurprisingly lamented. Nevertheless, Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline reports that a tag is the expected outcome of this situation.

Jacobs also cited the uncertainty Vegas is currently dealing with at the quarterback position as something to consider in his own negotiations. With Carr set to be either traded or released before the upcoming deadline brought on by the guarantee trigger in his contract, the Raiders will be searching for a new signal-caller this offseason. A change at that position will come with, presumably, several other moves aimed at upgrading what was a 6-11 team in 2022.

“Like I’ve been saying all last year, I feel like we were always so close,” Jacobs added. “That really just comes with [the front office] getting the right people in there and getting some more guys on defense and getting some more guys up front. And obviously, now the quarterback situation. I think that plays a big part of what I want to do, too, if I come back or not. It just depends.”

Saints Emerging As Potential Derek Carr Suitor?

February 4th, 2023 at 9:10am CST by Ben Levine

The Raiders have yet to grant Derek Carr permission to speak to other teams about a trade, but one potential suitor may be emerging. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes that a Carr-Saints pairing “was buzzing a bit” this week during the Senior Bowl.

[RELATED: QB-Needy Teams Expecting Raiders To Release Derek Carr]

There’s a handful of reasons why the Saints could make sense. For starters, it seems clear that the Saints are seeking some more reliability at the quarterback position heading into next season. The organization has turned to five different starting QBs over the past two years, with 35-year-old Andy Dalton garnering 14 starts for the Saints this past year. Jameis Winston is the only experienced QB under contract heading into the offseason, but the Saints could easily cut him without leaving behind a debilitating dead cap number. The Saints are also rostering QB Jake Luton via a reserve/futures contract.

Further, the Saints now have some extra draft assets thanks to the Sean Payton trade with Denver. New Orleans got an extra first- and second-round pick in the trade, and while it’s unknown what the Raiders are seeking in a Carr trade, the extra selections could make it easier to part with their desired compensation. For what it’s worth, the Raiders slightly pushed back at Carr’s notion that the organization hasn’t allowed him to speak to potential suitors. Rather, the Raiders claim they have granted Carr permission to speak to other teams…but only teams that have shown a willingness to pony up the picks that the Raiders are seeking.

Finally, Saints head coach Dennis Allen has some experience working alongside Carr; Allen was the Raiders’ head coach during the QB’s rookie season in Oakland. Since then, Allen has worked in New Orleans, including a seven-year stint as their defensive coordinator.

The Raiders would owe Carr $40.4MM on Feb. 15, and with a dead-money charge of just $5.6MM due with a release, they can save $29MM-plus by moving on over the next week. As a result, teams are expecting the organization to ultimately release the veteran quarterback. Carr confirmed this week that he won’t restructure his contract to facilitate a trade, and it’s worth noting that his deal also contains a no-trade clause.

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