Ever since Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was benched late this season, there has been plenty of speculation about where he may be headed this offseason.
Most of that speculation centered around a potential trade that would bring the Raiders back some assets, likely in the form of draft compensation.
But on Tuesday, they simply released Carr, allowing him to sign with whichever team he desires.
Raiders officially informed QB Derek Carr that he has been released, per source. Team released him before $40.4 million in his contract became guaranteed today.
Carr is now a free agent and is expected to draw interest from the Saints and Panthers, amongst others. pic.twitter.com/X2v6pDecqP
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 14, 2023
Fans had all types of reactions to the news, ranging from hoping Carr signs with their teams to simply haranguing him for not being that good a signal-caller.
Derek Carr should be a Carolina Panther. Just going to put that out into the Twitterverse.
— Jay (@JaySpeaking) February 14, 2023
Good. Derek Carr isn’t a winner. Not in his blood.
— $TEVEWOOD$ (@SteveDFS47) February 14, 2023
I believe that Derek Carr is substantially better than Tua is at playing QB.
— Joe (@JoeA_NFL) February 14, 2023
No Derek carr is my hero. I want him to go to my favorite team. I know Daniel jones is a chump who can't lead my team
— NY Giants fan Randall Jr. (@DerekCarr2Giant) February 14, 2023
This Raiders fan, on the other hand, thanked Carr for being fully committed to his team, even if the results weren’t as good as he had hoped.
DEREK CARR
This man gave it his all
Broken leg
Broken pinky finger
Shore back
He left Oakland
Derek you will all ways be a RAIDER
THANK YOU
LOTS OF LOVE— johnny cervantes sr. (@raiderjohnny11) February 14, 2023
Coming into this year, there was some thinking that Carr would elevate his game and move into the NFL’s elite class of quarterbacks thanks to the addition of wide receiver Davante Adams, who is arguably the best at his position.
Instead, his production went down.
He went from 282.6 to 234.8 passing yards per game, and his passer rating dropped from 94.0 in 2021 to just 86.3 this year.
Carr was voted onto the AFC’s Pro Bowl team as a replacement for the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow, but it’s clear that he isn’t a prime-time QB.
The Raiders struggled all season long, blowing multiple leads and losing several close games and ending up with a dismal 6-11 record.
Now they will begin their search for their next quarterback, and there are rumors that they could be targeting Aaron Rodgers, who has hinted that he may want a reunion with Adams.
NEXT: NFL Insider Names 4 Teams That Will Have Interest In Derek Carr
