NFL Rumors: Aaron Rodgers trade smelling sour, Derek Carr fires back, Lions get Jalen Ramsey consolation
By Kristen Wong
Today’s NFL rumors surround the whirlwind period of free agency in which Aaron Rodgers makes the Jets wait, Derek Carr claps back at his former team, and the Detroit Lions get their Jalen Ramsey upgrade.
Whew. What a crazy day. In just the first few hours of the legal tampering period of NFL free agency, the league has experienced some seismic changes.
Jimmy G to the Raiders. Javon Hargrave to the 49ers. Who will be involved in the next earth-shattering acquisition? The next few days should see plenty of talent find new homes.
This is technically just the legal tampering period of free agency, which means players won’t officially sign deals until Wednesday at 4 pm. ET. Once 4 o’clock hits, free agency officially starts and any player on an expired contract will be free to join whichever team they want.
It just so happens that today is the craziest day, and boy do we have some crazy rumors for you.
Here are three of the biggest NFL rumors going around the league right now.
NFL Rumors: Derek Carr sets the record straight about leaving Vegas
Derek Carr signing with the New York Saints feels like it happened a month ago, but it really was quite recent. The Pro Bowl quarterback was reportedly pursued by the New York Jets before Carr decided he didn’t want to be the second option and joined NOLA instead.
New York had its sights on Aaron Rodgers from Day 1, and, well, that’ll be discussed later.
For Carr, he was never going to enjoy a friendly goodbye from his former team, the Las Vegas Raiders. Prior to Carr’s release, the Raiders were looking to trade Carr to get some kind of compensation for him, and Carr himself revealed to ESPN that he was willing to accept a trade.
However, the part he didn’t agree with was being limited to just one trade suitor.
Las Vegas only let Carr talk to the Saints during his last weeks on the team, and Carr was understandably disgruntled at his lack of options.
He said:
"“As much as I love and respect those guys, Dave and Josh over at the Raiders, how do I make that decision when it’s the only time in my career that I’ve been, or could possibly be free? I can’t possibly make that decision without being able to talk to other people.”"
Ultimately, Carr forced his release out of Vegas, tested the market, and ended up picking the Saints. From his perspective, it’s not about the “who” but the “how.”
His mini-feud with the Raiders may all be water under the bridge now with Las Vegas landing Jimmy G and Carr reuniting with former Raiders coach Dennis Allen in New Orleans.
But for the sake of truth, the record should be set straight. The Raiders mishandled their treatment of Carr, and maybe if Las Vegas had been more amenable to Carr’s interests, the franchise could have secured a solid trade package in return.