Derek Carr Trade Rumors: Commanders Checked In on Raiders Star in Pursuit of QB

The Washington Commanders' search for a quarterback reportedly led them to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Ben Standig of The Athletic reported Monday that Washington reached out to the Raiders and "checked in" on quarterback Derek Carr.

"Several league sources aren't convinced Carr is worth an all-in move with picks and an annual average salary north of $35 million," Standig wrote, but that apparently didn't stop the NFC East team from at least monitoring his status.

Washington has made no secret about its ability to upgrade the quarterback position.

"We feel we have canvassed the league effectively," general manager Martin Mayhew told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "We've spoken to every club that has a quarterback who might be available."

ESPN's John Keim reported the Commanders went as far as to look into approximately 40 quarterbacks, including potential draft prospects.

One of those signal-callers was apparently Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the Commanders' "strong offer" ended up going nowhere.

While Carr can't match Wilson's resume, he would be an upgrade under center for Washington. He is a three-time Pro Bowler who just led the Raiders to the playoffs by completing 68.4 percent of his passes for 4,804 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, marking the fourth straight season he threw for more than 4,000 yards.

He is also still in his prime at 30 years old and is talented enough to help lead the Commanders into playoff position given some of the other talent on a roster that includes wide receiver Terry McLaurin, defensive end Chase Young and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.

While Taylor Heinicke has been a solid option at times, he likely isn't the quarterback who is going to move Washington ahead of the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East. It comes as no surprise the team is looking to upgrade the position, and Carr is just one potential avenue with free agency and the draft approaching.

It remains to be seen who will start the 2022 campaign for the Commanders, but failing to add anyone would be fairly shocking given how open the team has been about its pursuit at this point.