On Thursday, Derek Carr (quarterback) said goodbye to the Las Vegas Raiders via social media.
☠️ pic.twitter.com/fuSOAWkwk8
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) January 12, 2023
“Raider Nation it breaks my heart I didn’t get an opportunity to say goodbye in person,” Carr wrote on Twitter. “We certainly have been on a roller coaster in our 9 years together. From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful and appreciative of the years of support you gave to my family and me.”
Carr also referenced a previous comment in which he said he’d probably quit football if he was no longer a member of the Raiders.
“I once said that if I’m not a Raider I would rather be at home and I meant that, but I never envisioned it ending this way,” Carr wrote. “That fire burning inside of me to win a championship still rages. A fire that no man can put out; only God can. I look forward to a different city and a different team who, no matter what the circumstances, will get all I have. Winning a championship is what I’ve always wanted and what I will continue to work towards.”
The Raiders will likely try to trade Carr. He does have a no trade clause in the $121.5 million, three-year extension he signed in April. Carr’s $32.9 million base salary for 2023 and $7.5 million of his 2024 salary become guaranteed if he is still on the roster on Feb. 15.
If the Raiders fail to find a trade partner within that time, they could release him. They would avoid being held responsible for more than $40million in guaranteed money. They would have to pay $5 million for dead cap space.
Carr was suspended for the last two games of the season, and he stepped away from team during that time. Carr completed 60.8 per cent of his passes for 3,522 yards and 24 touchdowns, as well as 14 interceptions in 15 games. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards (35,222) and touchdowns (217).
Carr would be a great choice for a multitude of teams looking for a quarterback, such as the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets.