Jared Goff can understand Derek Carr’s situation.
Carr, the Raiders quarterback who was benched for the final two games of the season, is set to be traded or released in the offseason as both sides appear headed for a divorce. Carr has been with the Raiders since they drafted him in the second round in 2014.
During the 2023 Pro Bowl games this past weekend, Carr spoke with Goff, who shared a silver lining — as he went through a similar situation when the Rams traded him for Matthew Stafford in January 2021.
“There’s definitely life on the other side. Often times a really great life,” Goff said Saturday, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We had a really good talk about it earlier this week. I think his head is in a great place about it, whatever ends up happening with him.”
Goff spent five seasons with the Rams after they drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2016. He led them to the 2019 Super Bowl, where they were defeated 13-3 by Tom Brady and the Patriots.
“You go through all of them,” Goff said about the range of emotions he experienced after the trade.
The quarterback has pumped new life into the Lions, leading them to eight wins in their last 10 games and a 9-8 record this past season. Detroit missed the NFL playoffs on a tiebreaker but spoiled the Packers’ hopes in the final game of the season, beating them in Green Bay to send them packing.
The Pro Bowl games, which took place at Allegiant Stadium, is likely the final time Carr played on his home field as a Raider.
After he led his AFC team to a victory in the precision passing event, the quarterback joked about the Raiders trading him.
When asked by ESPN analyst Ryan Clark if he had ever been that hot in Las Vegas, Carr replied: “Not that hot. It’s probably why I’m going somewhere else.”
That came after Carr said Thursday night that he will not extend the Feb. 15 deadline to help facilitate a trade from the Raiders.
Carr’s $32.9 million base salary for 2023 and $7.5 million of his 2024 base salary becomes fully guaranteed if he is still on the Raiders roster three days after Super Bowl 2023 between the Chiefs and Eagles on Feb. 12.
Carr, who turns 32 in March, is under contract through 2025 after agreeing to a three-year, $121.5 million extension in April.
Last month, Carr posted a goodbye letter to Raider Nation, saying he’s looking forward to giving everything he has to a new city and a new team.
Soon after, Carr’s brother, David Carr — a former NFL quarterback who was the first overall pick by the Texans in 2002, and currently serves as an analyst for NFL Network — said that the Raiders will seek a trade for the quarterback.
“He’s reinvigorated,” David said. “He’s going out and the Raiders are going to seek a trade, they’re going to bring trades, which Derek has a no-trade clause, and they’re going to listen. And he’s going to look for teams that have a stable situation between their head coach and their ownership, right? Stable.
“He’s also going to be looking for a team that is also looking for a quarterback that has a reputation for game-winning drives and fourth quarter comebacks. I’m excited. Maybe he’s the missing piece for someone. We’ll see what happens. I’m excited for my brother’s future. I’m a little upset, alright, so that’s what happens.”
Carr last played in a loss to the Steelers on Dec. 24. He was just 16 of 30 passing for 174 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.
