NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
The offseason for Washington’s front office and fans will be a long one. While they exceeded expectations this season, there are still several areas this team needs to address before anyone considers them Super Bowl contenders. The most significant position is the quarterback.
Rivera made it clear that they will exhaust all options at quarterback this offseason in an attempt to get their long-term signal-caller. Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr has been discussed in trade rumors in recent weeks. He will be more expensive than Sam Darnold or Jimmy Garoppolo, but much cheaper than Deshaun Watson. With his age and contract, I imagine it would cost around two first-round picks.
Here are three reasons why Washington should pursue Derek Carr.
Carr Is Better Than People Think
People have mixed views on Derek Carr. Some believe he is an average quarterback, while others think he is underrated. His Pro Football Focus grade has steadily risen the past three seasons, and he finished his 2020 campaign with the 8th highest passing grade (83.9). He also had the 8th highest adjusted completion percentage (78.5%). Carr has finished the past three seasons with over 4,000 yards and the past two years with a passer rating over 100.
One important note is he has never truly had a number one wide receiver. Amari Cooper did not take off until he switched teams. Cooper had a grade in the mid-60s his last season and a half in Oakland. If Washington can pair Carr with McLaurin and another legitimate wide receiver, their offense could find itself in the top 10 in 2021.
Cheap Contract
One issue people have with trading for Watson is not only having to give up numerous draft picks but also the amount of cap space he will warrant. His new contract will not kick in until 2022, but his cap hit will then be $40.4 million. Derek Carr’s cap hit will only be $22 million in 2021 and $19.8 million in 2022.
Rivera made it clear that they were not giving up this team’s future to get a quarterback. Trading for Watson wouldn’t allow Washington to have a significant draft pick for a while and make signing a quality free agent difficult. Adding Carr would allow them to still have decent draft picks and money available to sign free agents.
Washington Has Limited Options
Since Stafford was dealt to the Rams, Washington’s options at quarterback are shrinking. One option is to trade for Watson, which is very unlikely and would cost a fortune. The second option is to sign a free agent (Fitzpatrick, Winston, Newton, etc.). However, after resigning Heinicke, this has become less likely. The third option is to trade for a quarterback (Carr, Darnold, Mariota). The last and most likely scenario is to draft a quarterback.
Rivera told Heinicke that he would be able to compete for the starting role. This makes me imagine they will take a quarterback in the first round, and Heinicke will compete with him for the starting role. Though, Carr is out of the picture. If Washington can get Carr for a reasonable price, Rivera may pull the trigger.
