Where will Raiders QB Derek Carr be traded?

By: Reese Nasser

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr could soon find himself on a new team. With his contract currently set to end after the 2022 season, he could be a name to watch between now and the trade deadline. 

After seven seasons with the Raiders, Carr has never appeared in a playoff game and has won double-digit games just once. He also has a career record of 47-63, but that does not tell the whole story. In his time since entering the league, Carr has been very efficient with the ball. He has 170 passing touchdowns to just 71 interceptions throughout his career. 

Even without ever having a prolific receiving room, Carr has been a consistent playmaker. He had been a reliable QB1. He has also been one of the clutchest players in the league. He has 24 game winning drives in his career. 

When looking at all of this, it is clear to see why teams would be intrigued by adding Carr to their roster. He is still a solid quarterback who would be an upgrade at the position for most teams. Many teams believe that they have the roster in place for a super bowl run and are just missing a quarterback to get them over the hump. Other teams are just trying to find a piece to build around, and at just 30 years old, Carr could be just that. There would be no developing Carr, unlike what you would have to do with a younger quarterback. He is also coming off arguably the best season of his career. 

There are a few different teams that could be in a position to go after Carr. It could end up taking a large draft package to land the veteran quarterback. Some teams may be more willing to give the Raiders what they would like as opposed to others. Here are three  teams that could prove to be top destinations for Derek Carr. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers future at the quarterback position is unclear, to say the least. Longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is entering the final year of his restructured contract. He will also be entering his 18th season as the Steelers starting quarterback and is 39-years old. 

Outside of Roethlisberger, the Steelers have not seemed to create a concrete plan as to who will be their next quarterback. Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph has been subpar in his nine career starts. He could be who the Steelers look to for their future, but he hasn’t yet shown that he can be a number one quarterback on a team. 

The Steelers also recently signed former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins this off-season. Haskins underperformed in his two years in Washington, recording a record of 3-10 and throwing just 12 touchdowns. He has struggled since entering the NFL, and much like Rudolph, hasn’t lived up to expectations up to this point. 

With no proven options past Roethlisberger, if there is a struggle at the quarterback position, the Steelers could look to go after a quarterback such as Carr. The Steelers have a team that is built to win now and can’t afford to have an offense being held back by poor QB play. Carr could play out his final two years of his contract in Pittsburgh and then sign a long-term deal to remain the QB1. 

Washington Football Team 

Washington currently has a surplus of quarters back on their roster, yet there is still no clear QB1. Ryan Fitzpatrick. Taylor Heinicke, and Kyle Allen will all have an opportunity to win the starting job. 

But Washngton may feel like none of these three quarterbacks meet their standards and this could cause them to go after someone such as Carr. 

Washington has assembled a potential top-10 defense and they have young and talented offensive pieces. With Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel preparing to become a top receiving duo and running back Antonio Gibson on the verge of stardom, this offense has all the making of a powerhouse. 

Carr could be what this team needs to take them over the top, and Washington is one team that could create a package that is good enough to land the quarterback. 

Miami Dolphins 

The Miami Dolphons coild prove to be an intriguing landing spot for Derek Carr. The decision to trade for him would also be baeed entirely on second-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s performance in the first half of the season. 

Tua struggled on multiple occasions last season, being replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick on more than one occasion. But, it is still too early to move on from the young quarterback, at least for now. He scored 14 touchdowns in his rookie season and showed flashes of potential.
The Dolphins have a team that can win games, proving this last season by securing 10 wins for the first time since 2016. They also added quality playmakers on the offensive side of the ball through both the draft and free agency. 

Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle will look to be a centerpiece for this team, and eventually Miami’s main target. Wide receiver Will Fuller will also receive a heavy workload for the Dolphins in his first season with the team. 

With a potential top receiving unit, the Dolphins may believe that they can’t afford to wait for Tua to develop. If he does struggle in the start of the season, they could center a package around him and send him to Las Vegas in exchange for Carr. 

Carr is Miami’s offense could be lethal and this team could be positioned to make a legitimate playoff run.