The Raiders finally caved on Tuesday, allowing quarterback Derek Carr to visit the New Orleans Saints. The natural reaction to the news was to wonder if Carr could actually be traded.
According to a source familiar with the situation, this is still unlikely.
If Carr is on the roster as of 4:00 p.m. ET next Tuesday, Feb. 14, he will definitely be on the roster as of Wednesday, Feb. 15 — and so he’ll absolutely have $40.4 million in guaranteed salary caps. There just isn’t enough time for it all to come together, especially with Carr knowing he’ll have a full month before the free agency market opens to explore options if/when he gets cut.
He has to make more than one visit to choose his next team. He must have a chance to see what else is out there. To find out how much other teams will pay. Ideally leverage interested teams against each other to maximize his return.
It is not clear whether the saints regard this as the de facto first leg of Carr’s free agency tour, or if they think they can persuade him to accept a trade to New Orleans without fully exploring other options. Again, any team willing to give Raiders draft compensation and commit to paying Carr $40.4 million in cash bonds would likely be willing to pay Carr even more if they can get it. without sacrificing a draft pick or two.
