Would the Las Vegas Raiders be willing to trade quarterback Derek Carr? What if the San Francisco 49ers wanted ‘DC4’ and offered two first-round picks for him? Someone recently posed that scenario.
What would this deal entail?
A photo of Carr wearing the 49ers uniform recently made the rounds on social media. The image also suggests trading the Raiders quarterback for two first-round picks. This is not a rumor, not news, it’s simply a hypothetical scenario Pick 6 on Instagram presented. Could it happen? Sure, you could also win the lottery tomorrow. It’s plausible but not likely and there are no indications the deal has passed through general manager Mike Mayock’s mind.
If the Raiders wanted to trade Carr in 2021, they would take a $2.5 million dead cap hit but would save $19.65 million in cap space. The deal would in turn give them cap relief, which they would gladly take, as they are currently in the red. While Las Vegas would move on from an established quarterback, they could then use the resources they got to fortify other position groups.
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Would it make sense for the Raiders to pull the trigger?
Carr is the face of the franchise and the move could prove unpopular. However, the Raiders aren’t afraid to part ways with cornerstone players, as they showed when they traded All-Pro defensive end Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears for two first-round picks, a sixth and a third in 2018.
On the other hand, teams rarely trade top quarterbacks or let them hit the open market. They do whatever they need to do to keep their signal-callers. While it’s more common to see players like Mack or shutdown corners like Jalen Ramsey be part of blockbuster trades, it’s more difficult to pull this kind of move with quarterbacks.
The added resources they would get in a potential trade involving Carr would give them the chance to add talent on defense or draft a quarterback prospect such as Kyle Trask or Mac Jones in the upcoming Player Selection Meeting. The defense is in dire need of upgrades and whatever resources the team’s brass could allocate to the defense would be a welcomed sight.
Will a trade happen? Probably not, but the ‘Niners’ should call the Raiders and make that offer. Even if they are turned down, it doesn’t hurt to ask. After all, you would be surprised at the kind of things people just got by asking.
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*Top Photo: Pick 6 on Instagram
