The Las Vegas Raiders decided to part ways with veteran quarterback Derek Carr before the end of the franchise’s disappointing 2022 season. A move meant to help the team backfired, and the authority behind it is now known.
When the team parted ways with Carr this offseason, team officials faced a barrage of criticism. Most of the fans liked him, and he was well-liked in the locker room as a leader who was appreciated for his calming presence during difficult times. Carr’s performance, however, was deemed insufficient by the organization.
Las Vegas wanted Tom Brady to replace Carr, but the future Hall of Famer retired and said he would not return. After Brady was ruled out and the team was unable to trade up for the No. 1 overall pick in order to select Bryce Young, veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo became the sole target.
Josh McDaniels, the Raiders’ head coach and defacto general manager, oversaw the Garoppolo signing. He was convinced that their time together with the New England Patriots meant Garoppolo would understand and thrive in the system. Instead, Garoppolo struggled and was benched after McDaniels was fired in Las Vegas.
While McDaniels has received the majority of the blame for the Raiders’ problems and was unpopular among players, it appears he was not the driving force behind the Carr split.
According to reports, Las Vegas was aware that trading its former franchise quarterback would be difficult. Former team president Dan Ventrelle included a no-trade clause in Carr’s original contract extension in 2023. Carr was forced to be released by the Raiders due to that clause, which prevented any deal from being made in Las Vegas.
According to media reports, many people in Las Vegas are relieved McDaniels has been fired. Furthermore, team sources have told reporters that McDaniels was behind many of the offseason moves that didn’t pan out.
However, according to Rapoport’s reporting, Davis was ultimately responsible for pushing Carr out, and the move came after he persuaded McDaniels. Given Davis’ history of involvement in football operations, potential head coach and general manager candidates may want assurances that Davis will not be as involved in the future.
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