Derek Carr says goodbye to Las Vegas Raiders: ‘I look forward to a new city and a new team’
Carr tweets to fans on Thursday that it “breaks my heart that I didn’t get to say goodbye in person.”
It’s official. The Derek Carr era at the Raiders is over.
It seemed inevitable after his benching for the last two weeks of the season that Carr would never wear a Raiders jersey again, and on Thursday morning the quarterback officially said goodby to Las Vegas and Raider Nation.
After sharing his love for the fanbase and the appreciation that he has for everything the Raiders achieved in the “roller coaster” nine years that he was on the team, 31-year-old Carr also answered another burning question: he will continue to play in the NFL.
“I once said that if I am not a Raider then I would rather be at home, and I meant that, but I never envisioned it ending this way. That fire burning inside of me to win a championship still rages … So I look forward to a new city and a new team. Winning a championship is what I’ve always wanted and what I will continue to work toward.”
Carr’s agent, Tim Younger of Younger and Associates, also confirmed that Carr’s tenure with the Raiders is over. Younger said his client invested himself completely in the Raiders, and now he “looks forward to the opportunity to write a new chapter for himself and his career.”
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport had tweeted earlier on Thursday morning that the Raiders had begun the process of evaluating the trade market for Carr. There was a firm deadline in his contract of Feb. 15, after which Carr’s $40.4 million in salary over the next two seasons would become fully guaranteed.
The two burning questions now are what move will the Raiders now make at quarterback? And which team will be Carr’s next landing spot? He has a no trade clause in his contract so will get to play a part in the decision for his next team.
DraftKings Sportsbook already has betting lines on the latter, current favorites are the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets. Both teams are priced at +400. The Tennessee Titans are +600 and the Washington Commanders are priced at +900. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2.5) and New Orleans Saints are next at +1100.
As for the Raiders, there is a strong chance that they will look to take a quarterback in the first round, with their first pick coming in at No. 7. The 2023 NFL Draft is considered a strong quarterback class with Bryce Young (Alabama), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), Will Levis (Kentucky) and Anthony Richardson (Florida) all potentially being taken in the top 10.
Carr, who turns 32 in March, was selected by the Raiders with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Fresno State. He was a three-time Pro Bowler from 2015-17, and was the Raiders’ all-time passing leader (35,222 yards), all-time passing touchdowns leader (217) and second in wins (63-79).