The LA Chargers have battled Derek Carr twice a year since he came into the league in 2014. He has been the only consistent thing about an inconsistent Las Vegas Raiders team and he has built up quite the rivalry with the Chargers and their fans alike.
That rivalry is seemingly ending this offseason as the Raiders benched Carr in the last two games of the season, signaling that the team would be making a change at quarterback this offseason. After a down year in which Carr went 6-9 as a starter, head coach Josh McDaniels is looking for his guy.
Carr essentially confirmed that his time with the Raiders is coming to an end on Thursday as he posted a lengthy goodbye message to Raiders fans. While it is definitely heartfelt and a big moment for Carr in his career, it is still good content for Chargers fans who have had to see their team battle this guy for eight years running.
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) January 12, 2023
Some Chargers fans may be upset that Carr is leaving because it signals that the Raiders will improve at quarterback. It is quite the contrary. Carr is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the league and it is hard to see the Raiders finding a bonafide upgrade at the position. Should Chargers fans really be losing sleep over 45-year-old Tom Brady coming to the AFC West? Probably not.
The Chargers might still play Derek Carr in 2023.
We have quite some time until Derek Carr's next team will be decided but there definitely are some early favorites. One of the biggest favorites to land Carr's services this offseason is the New York Jets, who seemingly have everything but a quarterback right now.
Jimmy Garoppolo seemed like a more likely fit all season but his recurring injuries could sway the Jets to instead make a move for Carr. The Chargers play the Jets on the road next season, giving Joey Bosa another opportunity to sack his now-former rival.
There are two teams that maybe could have Carr on the roster next season that play the Chargers at SoFi Stadium but both would require a lot of things to happen. If the Baltimore Ravens cannot/do not want to extend Lamar Jackson, they could turn to Carr as a stopgap of sorts for the time being.
The same can be said for the Miami Dolphins if Tua Tagovailoa's concussions are serious enough to warrant a QB change.
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Both of those are long shots, but as we have learned in the NFL, sometimes you have to expect the unexpected. Nobody expected this Raiders-Carr partnership to end as quickly as it did and here we are.