Derek Carr Released by Raiders; Saints Among Teams Reportedly Eyeing Free-Agent QB

Derek Carr's time with the Las Vegas Raiders has come to an end after nine years, as the Raiders officially released the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback on Tuesday.

Carr was set to have his $40.4 million salary become guaranteed if he was still on the roster on Tuesday.

Tim Younger, Carr's agent, tweeted Carr holds no "ill will" toward the Raiders as the two sides go their separate ways:

Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler wished Carr the best in a statement:

The team's move comes as no surprise, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Monday night that Carr was going to be released.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers are among the teams expected to show interest in the veteran during free agency.

New Orleans appeared to be in the driver's seat in a potential trade for Carr after hosting him on a visit. However, Rapoport reported Sunday that Carr informed Las Vegas that he would not accept a trade to New Orleans or any other team, making his release inevitable.

The dissolution of Carr's tenure with the Raiders is hardly surprising, as the 31-year-old was benched for the final two games of the 2022 season by first-year head coach Josh McDaniels. The move ended Carr's streak of 91 consecutive starts dating back to 2017. He later penned a farewell to Raiders fans on social media.

"It's especially hard to say goodbye because I can honestly say that I gave you everything I had, every single day, in season, and in the off season," he wrote. "It certainly wasn't perfect, but I hope that I was able to leave you with more than a few great memories as Raider fans."

Carr, who had a no-trade clause in his contract, signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension with Las Vegas last offseason. Per ESPN's Paul Gutierrez, cutting him within three days of Super Bowl LVII results in a $5.625 million salary-cap hit.

A 2014 second-round pick, Carr seized the Raiders' starting quarterback job as a rookie and developed into one of the best signal-callers in team history. He holds virtually every franchise passing record and led the team to two postseason appearances.

Unfortunately, Carr's brief partnership with McDaniels resulted in a substantial regression. At the time of his benching, he led the NFL with with 14 interceptions, which tied his career high. His 86.3 passer rating was his lowest since his rookie season. He ended the year with 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and a 60.8 completion percentage.

The Raiders acquired wide receiver Davante Adams, reuniting Carr with his Fresno State teammate. While Adams performed well enough for a sixth straight Pro Bowl selection, the connection between him and Carr wasn't as productive as the team had expected.

Carr will undoubtedly have his fair share of suitors on the open market. He's proved to be a reliable starter in the right situation. He joins a free-agent quarterback class that will include Lamar Jackson, Jimmy Garoppolo and Baker Mayfield.