Raiders Officially Release Derek Carr, Saints & Panthers Expected To Be Interested

According to Adam Schefter, the Las Vegas Raiders have officially released QB Derek Carr. 

This has been the expected outcome since it was reported that Carr would not waive his no-trade clause for the Saints or any other team. 

Schefter adds the Saints as well as the Panthers are among the teams expected to be interested in Carr. 

The Raiders are releasing Carr to avoid being on the hook for $40 million in guarantees over the next two seasons that would become due tomorrow.

Instead, Carr will immediately become a free agent and can sign with any team he chooses. And he should have plenty of options as the top quarterback currently available.  

Ian Rapoport expects Carr to take his time to decide on a new team. The Saints are still in the mix following his visit to New Orleans last week and Rapoport adds Carr could take more visits with interested suitors. 

Any other quarterbacks teams could look to sign or trade for won’t be available until the start of the league year in mid-March, while Carr can sign at any time he chooses, which will be an important factor. Unless Packers QB Aaron Rodgers decides he wants a trade, Carr is the top quarterback available. 

Carr, 31, is a former second-round pick of the Raiders back in 2014. He was in the final year of his contract when the Raiders signed him to a five-year, $125 million extension that included $70 million guaranteed in 2017.

Carr stood to make a base salary of $19.77 million in the final year of his contract and was set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 when he signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension. 

In 2022, Carr appeared in 15 games for the Raiders and completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also rushed for 102 yards.

We’ll have more regarding Carr as the news is available.