The Las Vegas Raiders will likely work up until February 15 in their effort to trade Derek Carr, who has a contract that locks in $40.4 million in guaranteed money on that date.
While ESPN’s Adam Schefter mentioned several teams that might show interest in Carr, some of those clubs must first fill coaching vacancies, which puts roster moves on hold.
Furthermore, this offseason, we could see other notable passers on the move in the coming weeks. So, quarterback-needy clubs may eye starting-caliber signal-callers other than Carr.
With uncertainties in the coaching ranks and some intriguing names in the quarterback carousel, the Raiders may not be able to capitalize on Carr’s trade value at the moment.
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Las Vegas Raiders impacted by quarterback-needy teams coaching situations
Among those quarterback-needy squads, the Washington Commanders, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans need a head coach and/or an offensive coordinator. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who will lose Tom Brady to retirement, have an offensive play-caller opening on their coaching staff as well.
Teams without a head coach or offensive coordinator will obviously fill those positions before they pursue a quarterback, which doesn’t bode well for the Raiders’ race against the timeline of Carr’s guaranteed money because it thins the pool of potential suitors for a signal-caller.
Furthermore, Carr has a no-trade clause. If he prefers to play for one of those teams, expect him to wait for those clubs to sort out coaching responsibilities.
The Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos have made the only head-coaching hires. The Colts had rumored interest in Carr while Reich served as their lead skipper. Instead of using the No. 9 overall draft pick on a quarterback, Carolina may explore a trade for Vegas’ signal-caller after bringing in Frank Reich. All other options are seemingly up in the air.
However, the Raiders face another obstacle in their objective to trade Carr.
Related: Derek Carr and the NFL’s highest-paid QBs of 2022
Quarterback-needy teams may have better options than Derek Carr
On Sunday, Schefter reported that the Green Bay Packers “prefer to move on” from Aaron Rodgers. Last week, the NFL insider noted that the team would send its star quarterback to the AFC if it decides to deal him.
Even though Rodgers just turned 39 years old in December, he won back-to-back MVP awards in 2020 and 2021. Most, if not all, teams in need of a quarterback likely have him higher than Carr on an offseason wish list.
Other than Rodgers, Lamar Jackson still has an unclear future with the Baltimore Ravens.
Though general manager Eric DeCosta intends to negotiate with Jackson’s camp, and the team has some leverage with the potential use of the franchise tag, financial discussions can go sour and lead to a split. The Ravens signal-caller has a league MVP on his resume and had a major hand in leading his team to the playoffs in four of the previous five seasons, which makes him an appealing trade target.
For some teams, Carr may be the third-best option on the list of quarterback targets. Even if the Ravens use the franchise tag to keep Jackson under team control, a general manager may prefer to take a big swing at Rodgers before making an aggressive proposal for Carr.
Also, keep in mind, Geno Smith and Daniel Jones are coming off their best years as pros. They’ll likely garner a fair amount of interest if their respective teams (the Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants) allow them to test free agency.
Carr may draw more interest once the more decorated quarterbacks find a new home or re-sign with their current teams, which may not happen until the spring.
Maurice Moton covers the Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.