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The Las Vegas Raiders don't want Derek Carr. They made that clear at the end of the 2022 season when they sent the quarterback home before their last two games.
Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels clearly has other plans in mind, and the Raiders will pursue a new quarterback in the offseason. However, Carr has played quarterback for the franchise for the last 9 years and he is apparently healthy.
He has not developed into a superstar, but he is a competent quarterback. He led the Raiders to a playoff appearance following the 2021 season, and it was expected that Las Vegas would be in contention for another postseason appearance this year. However, the Raiders got off to a halting 2-7 start, and they could not overcome it despite a rally in the second half of the year.
While the Raiders don't want him any longer, he could be a solid fit for at least 3 teams.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints were one of the most consistent teams in the league when they had Drew Brees at quarterback. They have been anything but in the last two seasons without him.
The combination of Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston did not work out well for the Saints, as they finished the season with a 7-10 record and that left them in 3rd place in the NFC South. They still have all-purpose Taysom Hill as an X-factor runner/passer/receiver, but he is not a legitimate No. 1 quarterback.
Carr has established himself as a quarterback who can throw the short pass, the medium-depth pass and the long ball. His issue is consistency.
But even through he threw 14 interceptions in each of the last 2 years, he would still be a solid alternative for the Saints.
New York Jets
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The Jets made significant progress this season, and they looked like they had a chance to make the playoffs after winning 5 of their first 7 games, and taking a 7-4 mark into their Week 13 games against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Jets lost that game, and all their ensuing games the rest of the season as their quarterback play was often disastrous. Zach Wilson is supposed to be their quarterback of the future after the Jets selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft.
The selection has not worked out to this point. In addition to completing just 54.5 percent of his passes last year with 6 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, he appeared to alienate the coaching staff, his teammates and the fan base with some callous remarks.
Joe Flacco does not the bill as a starting quarterback at this point in his career, while Mike White is a hard-trying backup who lacks the skills to handle the responsibility of leading a team for a full 17-game schedule.
Carr is a much better alternative than the quarterbacks the Jets have on hand, and he could be an ideal choice for New York head coach Robert Saleh.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers now understand that they will no longer have Tom Brady under center. After rescinding his 2022 retirement announcement, Brady played a full season for Tampa Bay. His performance was adequate, but it was not at a championship level.
Brady and the Bucs were knocked out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round by the Dallas Cowboys, and he has once again put his retirement into full effect. He promised that he will not change his mind again.
The Bucs are a playoff team, but they need an established quarterback if they are going to remain in contention. Derek Carr has proven he can lead a talented team, and he would be a solid fit for a team that needs a competent quarterback.
