Raiders could trade Derek Carr, bring in Deshaun Watson?

Could the Las Vegas Raiders trade Derek Carr as part of a massive play for Deshaun Watson? One Raiders reporter threw out that possibility on Tuesday.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore says that the Raiders are expected to receive inquiries from other teams interested in Carr’s availability in a trade. Bonsignore threw out a wild scenario in which the Raiders receive two first-round picks in return for Carr. The Raiders would then package those picks, plus two first-round picks of their own, to the Houston Texans for Watson.

Watson is unhappy with the Texans and wants out. Houston understandably does not want to trade him away given his talent level. Watson is making $10.5 million in base salary in 2021 and then his four-year, $156 million extension begins the following season.

Carr has two years remaining on his deal for no more than a $22.125 million cap hit in either year. Even though he and Jon Gruden had some rough times at first, things have improved. Carr completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 4,103 yards, 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season.

The Raiders have Marcus Mariota as a backup and probably are content to keep Carr the next two seasons. But this is an interesting scenario to contemplate.

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