Las Vegas Raiders have officially released Derek Carr from their roster, as the franchise part ways with their quarterback after nine seasons.
Carr discovered towards the end of the 2022 NFL season that his time with the Raiders was up, and they were set to rebuild with a new quarterback. Carr addressed the Raiders Nation in an emotional post on social media, and was upset that he wasn't given one final chance at saying farewell.
The Raiders were hoping to negotiate a trade deal for Carr, picking up important draft picks in exchange for their franchise quarterback. However, Carr informed interested parties that he would not trade to any team, and instead pursue his options as a free agent.
Carr was officially released on Tuesday, with no love lost between him and the Raiders on Valentines Day. Carr's $40.4million contract would have kicked in on February 15, but the Raiders have pulled the plug just hours before.
The Raiders were hoping to negotiate a deal with the New Orleans Saints last week, and Carr visited the facility. However, it soon transpired that a trade deal was not going to take place anytime soon, and the Raiders have been forced to release him.
The Saints remain interested in Carr, and the Carolina Panthers are also said to be in the conversation as he ponders his next move. Releasing Carr clears $29.25m in 2023 cap space for the Raiders, who now have around $50m to work with this off-season.
They're likely to go all out for a star quarterback, but their lofty ambitions of bringing Tom Brady to Vegas ended after the seven-time Super Bowl winner retired earlier this month. It may not have gone the way that the Raiders and Carr were hoping for over the past nine years, but the quarterback was extremely grateful for the fans.
In the statement, Carr wrote: "I once said that if I'm not a Raider I would rather be at home and I meant that, but I never envisioned it ending this way. That fire burning inside of me to win a championship still rages. A fire no man can extinguish; only God.
"So I look forward to a new city and a new team who, no matter the circumstance, will get everything I have. Winning a championship is what I've always wanted and what I will continue to work towards.
"It breaks my heart I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye in person. We certainly have been on a roller coaster in our 9 years together.
"From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful and appreciative of the years of support you gave to my family and me. We had our share of both heart breaking moments and thrilling game winning drives, and it always felt like you were there next to me.
"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. 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."
