With the offseason in full swing, it is safe to say that the Las Vegas Raiders are fielding their fair share of calls regarding their quarterback situation with Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota.
The Raiders will need to shore up some capital if they hope to make a splash this offseason. This has led to plenty of speculation regarding their plans under center moving forward.
Rumors indicate that the Indianapolis Colts had inquired about the potential asking price for Carr. Their efforts were shut down before they ultimately added quarterback Carson Wentz in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional second-round pick.
This has helped solidify the notion that Carr will be around for the 2021 NFL season. According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, that appears to be the case barring some blockbuster trade offer:
“There’s a price for everything,” Rapoport said. “So if you offer multiple, many, numerous first-round picks, could Derek Carr be traded? Conceivably. But he is in the Raiders’ plans for the 2021 season. That is my understanding and I’d be frankly surprised at this point if that changes.”
While Carr’s time in Las Vegas may not be up just yet, Mariota is expected to be on his way out this offseason:
“He’s generated trade interest,” Rapoport said. “Based on my knowledge, right now, I’d be very surprised if Marcus Mariota is on the Raiders for the 2021 season. The Raiders have gotten some offers for him. It would save them some money certainly and maybe give them some draft compensation as well. For Mariota, he would get a chance to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.”
Mariota has been on the trading block since the offseason essentially began. His cap hit for the 2021 campaign will be $11.35 million, which would help clear up some much-needed space for the Raiders.
Of course, this would also be quite a bargain for teams looking for some bang for their buck from a starting-caliber quarterback. Mariota took advantage of his lone opportunity versus the Los Angeles Chargers last season when he threw for 226 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 88 yards and another touchdown in Week 15, albeit in a losing effort.
It remains to be seen what the Raiders have been looking for in return for Mariota and whether or not teams on the market are willing to meet their asking price. Either way, all signs seemingly point to his looming departure at some point in the offseason.
