For many NFL fans, their eyes are on the NFL Playoff bracket as we are set for a Super Bowl matchup between two Goliaths. That game is going to be extraordinary against the best two teams in football, but there is so much more going on in the NFL world. Many questions need to be addressed for different teams and players.
Where the heck is Derek Carr going to play next season? Las Vegas Raiders’ Head Coach Josh McDaniels threw us all a curveball when he decided to sit his star QB for the remainder of the season. The decision was questionable, and now, Carr is looking for a new home.
Follow along for the NFL odds on where the sensational QB will take his first snap next season. Hopefully, wherever he goes, that team ends up on the NFL schedule against the Raiders.
Derek Carr’s Journey
Nobody could have predicted the script for the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2022-23 season. Experts across the league thought the Raiders would be near the top of the NFL standings and be a lock for the playoffs. With an offense with guys like Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller Davante Adams, you expect nothing else. Instead, they finished with a 6-11 roster and drew a clear line in the sand for their future.
First and foremost, Carr may be the sole reason that Adams made the trip to Sin City. The former college teammates reconnected, but the experience did not last as long as people expected. For the Raiders, their NFL team stats are likely to look much different next year.
In his ninth season, Carr had a down year in terms of NFL player stats. The 31-year-old threw for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions and had his lowest rating since his rookie season in 2014. He only connected on 60.8% of his passes, which was also the lowest since his rookie season.
All of this came in 15 games before the Jarrett Stidham era began. It is pretty crazy thinking that guys like Adam Schein predicted Carr as the No. 1 dark horse to win the MVP.
Sure, Carr did not play like the man who was third in the NFL MVP odds in 2017, but he can still ball with the best of them. Just one season ago, Carr set the franchise record for the Raiders. It seems crazy to move on from him, but it is time to figure out where the Pro Bowler is going to end up.
Derek Carr’s Next Team
The irony of this unique Derek Carr situation with his soon-to-be former team is funny. Carr will have to represent the Las Vegas Raiders one more time as he is set to participate in the Pro Bowl on Sunday. This may be emotional for Carr, who has spent his entire career wearing black and gray.
Hop in the Carr
After monitoring Derek Carr’s social media this offseason, it is clear his time in Las Vegas is done. At the end of the day, worse breakups have been recovered from, but Carr was dumped and should move on. Sportsbooks have 12 NFL teams listed with odds to bring home the veteran QB.
Had this article been written a week earlier, this paragraph would not exist. The team with the current best odds to land Carr is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers +350.
They just received the sad news that the GOAT Tom Brady is retiring, so perhaps the Carr show will begin in Tampa. The Bucs are still in a win-now mode, and with Blaine Gabbert under center, that would change their plans entirely. It would make sense for him to go from one pirate team to another.
Next, there are two teams with +400 odds to obtain Carr for the 2023-24 season. You might be able to guess them. The New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts are both favorites to make a big splash in the offseason in the quarterback market. These two teams seem to be the most realistic destinations at this point. Of course, the Buccaneers might think otherwise.
Relying on Carr to Bring Back the Luck for the Colts
Indianapolis has had horrendous luck–no pun intended–with quarterbacks as of late. Not to mention, the NFL injury report has not been too kind to them, either. The Colts were supposed to walk away with the AFC South and potentially make a trip into February, but they stumbled upon the 4th pick in the draft instead. What a disappointing season it was for Indy. Carr could get the train back on the tracks.
The New York Jets were almost a playoff team. Every New York team nearly made the postseason, but the Jets failed to do so. Their defense was stellar, yet, they still missed out. Zach Wilson can be thanked for that. New York has a lot of areas to improve, with QB being their biggest missing puzzle piece.
It might be time to place your orders for a Carr jersey with the Jets. He fits in well and would turn this team around for years to come. The +400 odds seem very fitting. New York has not had a Pro Bowl quarterback on their team since Brett Farve in 2008. Carr would come in and immediately end that streak after a rough 15 years for the Jets.
Longshots to Land Derek Carr
We only listed three teams that may land Derek Carr, but sportsbooks listed 12 teams.
Here are the other organizations with a fighting shot at Carr:
- The Carolina Panthers +550
- Washington Commanders +600
- New Orleans Saints +700
- Atlanta Falcons +900
- Tennessee Titans +900
- Green Bay Packers +1000
- New England Patriots +1200
- Houston Texans +1600
- Miami Dolphins +2200
Above, we listed our favorite to land Carr, but there are some sleepers in this bunch. Carr could very easily be wearing Green and Yellow and playing at Lambeau Field with the Packers +1000 or rocking Titan Blue in the Music City with the Titans +900.
It would be quite the story if Carr ended up in Green Bay while Davante Adams hangs out in Las Vegas. Keep an eye on the NFL matchups as the Packers and Raiders play each other next season.
The Packers have a solid team in a division that is up for grabs, but they might finally give Jordan Love a chance. If Carr is on the table, they should do whatever they can to acquire him.
The Titans had the AFC South served on a silver platter this season. Their quarterback’s play threw that right in the trash. Carr and Derrick Henry would be one of the scariest duos in the league.
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