Derek Carr’s NFL free-agency tour will begin in New Orleans as the Las Vegas Raiders will allow the Saints to speak with the veteran quarterback. According to sources, the Saints will host Carr on a visit expected to occur on Wednesday.
The Raiders plan to move on from Carr this offseason, so allowing teams to speak with Carr is the first step toward their impending breakup.
Sources: The #Saints invited QB Derek Carr for a visit and the #Raiders have granted permission for that to happen. The plan is for a visit tomorrow. Carr, who has a no-trade clause, is doing due diligence and no trade is imminent. pic.twitter.com/kMSPW2NKaT
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 7, 2023
February 15 Deadline
The Raiders do not have much time left to decide on Carr. On February 15, Carr will be guaranteed $40.4 million over the next two years. Therefore, they will need to either trade or release Carr before February 15 to avoid paying his guaranteed money.
The Raiders would prefer to trade Carr and receive compensation in return. However, Carr has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he can veto any trade request.
Last offseason, Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension. However, head coach Josh McDaniels benched Carr after a Week 16 loss to the Steelers. Carr then agreed to step away from the team, unofficially ending his tenure with the Raiders.
New Orleans Makes Sense For Carr
In all likelihood, Carr will get released ahead of next week’s deadline. However, the Saints should still have interest in the 31-year-old Carr.
Since Drew Brees’s departure after the 2020 season, the Saints have been searching for their next franchise quarterback. Jameis Winston, Ian Book, Trevor Siemian, Taysom Hill, and Andy Dalton have all made starts at quarterback over the last two seasons. However, the Saints failed to reach the playoffs in both seasons.
Carr will draw a lot of interest from other teams that need starting quarterbacks. The Tampa Bay Buccanneers, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, and Washington Commanders are all looking to upgrade at the quarterback position with a player like Carr.
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