Benched QB Derek Carr Update: Quarterback Faces Potential Trade While Benched

The Las Vegas Raiders' quarterback Derek Carr is out of the starting lineup for the rest of the season. Just this past spring, he signed a multi-million-dollar, three-year extension on his contract, but his future at Las Vegas looks questionable now. What is Derek Carr's net worth, and what's happened to the NFL star?

Derek Carr played college football for Fresno State University and was chosen as a second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Raiders. A three-time Pro Bowler, Carr helped lead the Raiders to the postseason in 2016 (their first postseason appearance since 2002) and again last year in 2021.

Fans of the longtime Raiders quarterback may wonder what happened to Derek Carr, as he's been benched for the rest of the current NFL regular season. Is Carr leaving the Raiders for good? What is happening to Carr and his career?

According to an ESPN source, Carr and the Raiders have come to an agreement for him to step aside for the remainder of the season to avoid being a distraction. "The two sides talked about it and thought it was best," noted the source.

The team officially listed Carr's absence from Wednesday's practice as "not injury related, personal." New Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels called the situation "an opportunity to evaluate a younger player." He also said that Carr "understands the scenario that we're in and the situation and is very supportive of the two young guys."

The other players McDaniels referred to are Jarrett Stidham and Chase Garbers. Stidham will start as quarterback against the San Francisco 49ers, with Garbers, a rookie free agent, serving as backup for that game.

Carr's being benched leads to the question of whether the Raiders intend to trade him, which could be tricky considering the $121 million contract extension he just signed in the spring of 2022. According to ESPN, the team could cut him for just $5.625 million if they did so within three days of the Super Bowl.

If Carr were injured, his $32.9 million salary for 2023 would be guaranteed as well as $7.5 million of his 2024 salary. Sources suggest that benching the quarterback is the team's strategy for keeping him off the injured list and keeping options open for a potential trade.

Carr holds several franchise passing records, but this season has racked up his worst passer rating (86.3) since his rookie season. He's also thrown the NFL high of 14 interceptions throughout the season.

As NBC Sports noted, benching Carr this late in the season is a "clear signal that the Raiders are done with him." Keeping him on after such a move would be tough to pull off, so cutting or trading him seems likely. A team agreeing to trade must also agree to $40.4 million in full guarantees.

Derek Carr's net worth is estimated at $80 million. That's based on his original salary deal for $5.37 million for four years, followed by a five-year $125 million contract in 2017 and a $121.5 million three-year extension in 2022.