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Derek Carr is entering the final year of his contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. He is set to make $19.8 million next season. He's currently the 15th highest paid among all quarterbacks, so he's a relative bargain. New head coach Josh McDaniels recently said that there has been no new talk of a contract extension for their quarterback, so Carr's time with the Raiders could potentially be coming to an end.
Players in the final year of their contracts, oftentimes, become trade candidates. Derek Carr falls into this category, especially because of his affordable price tag as a veteran quarterback. Several teams have reportedly reached out to the Raiders recently to inquire about Carr's availability. If he is traded, here are five teams that would be wise to make an offer.
Potential destinations for Derek Carr
#1 - Pittsburgh Steelers
Now that Ben Roethlisberger has officially retired, the Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the worst quarterback groups in the NFL. Neither Mason Rudolph nor Dwayne Haskins appear capable of being a full-time starting quarterback, so the Steelers will almost definitely be in the market to acquire a quarterback this year. Carr would be an enormous upgrade from what they currently have.
#2 - Washington Commanders
Head coach Ron Rivera has publicly stated that he believes the Washington Commanders will be aggressive in the quarterback market during the 2022 offseason. If they are unable to score one of the elite options, such as Russell Wilson, acquiring Carr would still be a significant upgrade from Taylor Heinicke. While Carr ranked 14th in passer rating last year, Heinicke ranked 25th.
Potential landing spots for Derek Carr
Here are five potential destinations for Derek Carr if the Las Vegas Raiders decide to trade him away.
#3 - Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers experienced some of the worst quarterback production in the entire NFL last season. They started three different quarterbacks, combining to throw for just 14 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. They were aggressive in the trade market last season and could continue to do so this year by landing a veteran quarterback like Derek Carr.
#4 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If Tom Brady remains retired, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be in the market for a quarterback. They drafted Kyle Trask in the second round last year to potentially be the eventual starter, but there are rumors that he hasn't impressed them enough to win the job. If the Buccaneers decide to go with a veteran instead, Carr would make sense for them.
#5 - Denver Broncos
According to multiple reports, the Denver Broncos plan to be aggressive in their pursuit of upgrading their quarterback this offseason. They have hopes of landing Aaron Rodgers, but if they are unable to do so, Derek Carr could be an option. Trades within a division are rare, but not impossible. If the Broncos and Raiders played in different divisions, the trade would be much more likely than it is now.
