There are going to be several quarterbacks on the move once again this offseason. Arguably the best one that is going to be available in free agency is Derek Carr. His nine-year tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders came to an end a few weeks ago as the team is going in a different direction.
2022 was a tough season for Derek Carr as he had arguably the worst season of his career. Reuniting with his college teammate, wide receiver Davante Adams didn’t have as big of a positive impact on his performance as the franchise had hoped.
He never seemed to really mesh and get the nuances of Josh McDaniels’ system, throwing 14 interceptions in 15 starts. That resulted in having the worst interception percentage of his career and the second-lowest completion percentage of his career.
Despite his underwhelming performance in 2022, Derek Carr should be a sought-after player in free agency. There are a number of teams that would be elevated to playoff contenders with him under center. If everything went well, dark-horse Super Bowl contenders could emerge from the team that he is leading.
Which team could Derek Carr end up playing for? He has been linked to a few, with the New York Jets becoming the odds-on favorites. The New Orleans Saints are the only team that he met with before being released by the Raiders and will be a suitor.
However, the team that Derek Carr would be the perfect fit for is the Washington Commanders. Washington released Carson Wentz earlier this week and Taylor Heinicke is a free agent. That leaves Sam Howell as the only quarterback under contract for 2023 and is more than likely to start for the team in the upcoming season.
Getting a look at the 2022 fifth-round pick makes sense if the team was rebuilding. But, this Commanders’ team is closer to becoming a contender than needing to rebuild as there are excellent building blocks in place on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, Washington could be the best team in the league. They finished seventh in points allowed and third in yardage in 2022 on the back of an incredible front seven. Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat and Daron Payne held it down as Chase Young worked his way back from a torn ACL.
At the second level, Jamin Davis took a step in Year 2. The secondary has depth and talent with Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St. Juste, Rachad Wildgoose, Kamren Curl and Darrick Forrest. Another piece or two and this defense will be set for years to come.
Knowing you have that kind of support on the other side of the ball would certainly be appealing to Derek Carr. He has played with zero defensive support in his career. Collectively in his nine-year career, the Raiders have been the worst defensive team in the NFL.
In addition to the improved defense, Washington is in a great spot offensively. They could boast an above-average offensive line, providing Derek Carr with some protection after a few brutal seasons behind underwhelming offensive lines.
Skill position-wise, the Commanders are also flush with talent. A true No. 1 wide receiver in Terry McLaurin is a quarterback’s best friend. Behind him in the pecking order is Jahan Dotson, who had a strong rookie campaign, and Curtis Samuel. In the backfield, Washington has a strong duo in Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson.
That amount of talent would be appealing to any quarterback. After going 8-8-1 and just missing the postseason this past year, the Commanders can convince themselves they are just a quarterback away from making some noise.
Derek Carr could be that quarterback. Some added appeal for him is the presence of Jack Del Rio as the defensive coordinator. Del Rio was the Raiders’ head coach during some of Derek Carr’s most productive seasons. Having him on the staff, albeit on the other side of the ball, would certainly make for an easier transition as Carr is on the move for the first time in his professional career.
