Raiders’ Derek Carr Benched, Jarrett Stidham Will Start at QB vs. 49ers

The Derek Carr era for the Las Vegas Raiders could be coming to an end.

Head coach Josh McDaniels announced Wednesday he will start backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham over the final two weeks of the 2022 NFL season.

McDaniels opened the door for the move Tuesday.

“I think there’s a possibility that we would do the right thing, regardless of the position, in terms of the team,” he told reporters.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Carr will step away from the team for the next two weeks.

Carr has struggled of late. In his last five starts, he has thrown for 1,087 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. The nadir came Sunday in a 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, when he went 16-of-30 for 174 yards, one touchdown and three picks.

Still, elevating Stidham to the starting role sends a message. In 11 appearances over three years, the 2019 fourth-round pick has completed 52.5 percent of his passes for 342 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Not only is Stidham worse than Carr based on his performance to date, but he doesn’t figure to be a long-term successor, either.

It’s difficult to see this as anything other than the final nail in Carr’s coffin with Las Vegas.

The three-time Pro Bowler signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension with the team, but focusing on his overall payout obscures how easily the Raiders can move on this offseason.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio noted that Carr will have $40.4 million in guarantees locked in if he remains on the roster three days after the Super Bowl. The money becomes fully vested if he can’t pass a physical during that window, too.

Benching Carr means he’ll avoid the kind of injury that would trigger the guarantee.

Maybe Las Vegas can quickly piece together a trade centered around the 31-year-old. If not, cutting him altogether would be a straightforward pursuit. Per Spotrac, the team would carry $5.6 million in dead money but reap $29.3 million in salary cap savings for 2023.

A U-turn by the Raiders is possible but doesn’t seem likely given how quickly the front office will need to make a decision. That puts them firmly in the market for a new quarterback this offseason, and Carr figures to be near the top of the list for franchises looking to add a veteran signal-caller.