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Report: Derek Carr won't accept trade to Saints or others, expected to be released Tuesday

Derek Carr is set to be a free agent this offseason.

Carr has informed the Las Vegas Raiders that he won’t accept a trade that sends him anywhere in the league, including the New Orleans Saints, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Raiders are now expected to release Carr on Tuesday, which will make him a free agent this offseason.

Carr didn’t play in the Raiders’ final two games this season as a healthy scratch, and the team is expected to move on after a disappointing 6-11 finish. Carr has spent his entire nine-year career with the franchise.

He has a no-trade clause in his current contract with the team and can veto any deal. If Carr remains on the Raiders’ roster after Feb. 15, it would trigger a $40.4 million contract guarantee for him over the next two seasons.

With Sunday’s news that he won’t accept any trade, the Raiders are expected to release him on Tuesday, according to Rapoport.

Carr reportedly visited with the Saints last week. New Orleans used both Jamies Winston and Andy Dalton at quarterback this season, but finished 7-10.

Carr threw for 3,522 yards and 24 touchdowns with 14 interceptions in 15 games for the Raiders this past season. He threw for a career-high 4,804 yards in 2021 while leading the Raiders to a 10-7 finish, which is just one of three winning records he’s had there.

It's unclear where Carr will land next season, though there should be several teams interested who are in need of a quarterback, including the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At 31, Carr still has several good years of football left. The veteran could be an easy fix for a struggling offense, given the right situation.

Derek Carr
The Raiders will likely release Derek Carr in the coming days, which will make him a top free agent this offseason. (Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today)