2022 was the end of an era for the Las Vegas Raiders and Derek Carr. After being their starting quarterback for the last nine seasons, he will be moving on this offseason. The Raiders opted to bench him for the final two regular season games of the season and his heartfelt message to the fans all but sealed his fate of moving on.
Despite the Raiders acquiring his collegiate teammate, wide receiver Davante Adams, in the offseason, Derek Carr did struggle at times during the 2022 season. He didn’t seem to ever get fully comfortable with Josh McDaniels’ system, which led to him throwing 14 interceptions in 15 games.
His completion percentage on the season was the lowest since his rookie campaign and his yards per game was the third lowest. Despite the struggles, Derek Carr should have a sizable market this offseason and be viewed as an upgrade by multiple franchises.
One of the teams that will assuredly have their eyes on him is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If the Buccaneers are unable to convince Tom Brady to come back for at least one more season, they will be in the market for a quarterback. Right now, the only quarterback under contract on the roster is Kyle Trask, a second-round pick from the 2021 NFL Draft.
Given how wide open the NFC South is with the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons in varying stages of a rebuild, Tampa Bay will likely be on the lookout for a veteran upgrade this offseason. Derek Carr would fit that bill and is very much available.
There is a chance that the Raiders release Derek Carr given some of the language in his contract, but it would be a major risk for the Buccaneers if he hit free agency. The New York Jets, Saints, Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders have already been linked to him.
To avoid that bidding war, the Buccaneers should make a strong trade offer to the Raiders and see if they bite on a deal. Tampa Bay can offer a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and a conditional second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft that will be determined by some incentives, whether it is Derek Carr’s performance or team-based.
With Derek Carr in the lineup, the Buccaneers would remain the favorites in the NFC South. While they may not have the same aura as being led by Brady, Tampa Bay would still be considered among the best teams in the league as long as they shored up some of the holes along the roster.
