Derek Carr Trade Rumors: Saints Receive Permission from Raiders for QB to Visit

The New Orleans Saints have reportedly received permission from the Las Vegas Raiders to host quarterback Derek Carr on a visit ahead of his impending departure from the team.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the plan is for the visit to take place on Wednesday and Carr is "doing due diligence," but "no trade is imminent."

The Raiders have until Feb. 15 to secure a trade for Carr, as his $32.9 million base salary for next season and $7.5 million of his 2024 salary will become fully guaranteed at that point, according to Spotrac. The 31-year-old, who has a no-trade clause, is coming off his fourth career Pro Bowl appearance this past weekend.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler provided more details on the situation, noting that any team looking to trade for Carr likely would want to restructure his contract:

The Saints are in the market for a new quarterback after inconsistent play at the position during the 2022 season. Jameis Winston, who opened the season as the starter, was limited to three games after suffering fractures in his back. Veteran signal-caller Andy Dalton was solid as his replacement, but he averaged only 205.1 passing yards per game.

Carr would be a clear upgrade for New Orleans, as he threw for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions before being benched for the final two games of the 2022 campaign. He's been a staple under center for Las Vegas since he entered the league as a second-round pick in 2014, and he had a streak of 91 consecutive starts dating back to 2017.

It would be a surprise to see a team give up assets to acquire Carr, as it appears to be an inevitability that the Raiders will end up cutting him before next week's deadline. However, the Saints are putting themselves at the front of the line to court him as he decides on his next destination.