NFL insider reveals possible trade package for Derek Carr
By Josh Hill
Derek Carr is officially benched in Las Vegas, but what can the Raiders realistically expect in return in an offseason trade?
It took less than a full season for Mark Davis to begin hedging the bet he placed on Josh McDaniels. The ex-Patriots offensive coordinator, who had a notably bad tenure as head coach in Denver, was brought in to fix the Raiders and take them to the next level in an ultra-competitive AFC.
So far that hasn’t happened, and all Davis has to show for his bet is a bunch of blown leads and one thrilling — albeit ultimately meaningless — victory over the Patriots.
Derek Carr is either the first domino to fall or the first person to be scapegoated, depending on how you look at it, but he’s no longer the Raiders quarterback. Las Vegas benched him on Wednesday and set in motion a future with someone else leading McDaniels offense.
Who that is and how it goes is very much yet to be determined. What Raiders fans are more interested in right now is what sort of return the team can get in an eventual trade.
Derek Carr Rumors: What can Raiders expect in a trade package?
FanSided’s Matt Verderame talked to one high-ranking NFL executive who thinks a Derek Carr trade could net Vegas what the Eagles received from the Indianapolis Colts back in 2021.
“Speaking to one high-ranking NFL personnel exec, they believe a trade for Derek Carr could bring a similar return to what the Eagles got for Carson Wentz,” Verderame reported on Wednesday. “As a reminder, Wentz brought back a third and conditional first to Philadelphia.”
Not exactly the sexiest trade package ever, but it’s a lot better than what the Raiders think they’re getting out of Carr now.
That being said, Carr has been the best and most consistent Raiders quarterback this side of Rich Gannon — which was 20 years ago. Giving up on him is understandable, but the ramifications are serious. Las Vegas can’t afford to lose to the house on its bet against Carr which means getting a return package for him that feels less like waving the white flag and more like pieces to parlay into building a successful future.
Getting a third-round pick and a conditional first seems like solid middle ground to settle on, but it won’t inspire much hope in the fan base. Vegas is looking at a Top 10 pick this year, one that could end up being as high as a Top 5 pick depending on how poorly the last two games go. That puts them in a position to draft either Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud — or another quarterback that inevitably shoots up the draft board — and secure a franchise quarterback of the future.
It’s possible that the Raiders can package a third-rounder to move up if needed or to trade back into the first-round to grab another young player for the future. It’s also possible that none of that happens and McDaniels instead is tempted by the Holy Grail of landing Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady, under the belief that the Raiders are one piece away from overthrowing the Chiefs in the AFC West, the Bengals and Bills in the conference at large and reaching Super Bowl glory.
That’s a risky bet to take, but the Raiders have seemingly put them in a position to choose which future they want and see if the gamble pays off.