Originally posted on The Raider Ramble | Last updated 2/4/21
The NFL offseason started early this year, and the Las Vegas Raiders should pay attention to what the rest of the league is doing. A week away from Super Bowl LV, the Los Angeles Rams and the Detroit Lions set off fireworks with a blockbuster quarterback swap. Detroit shipped Matt Stafford to Los Angeles for two first-round picks, quarterback Jared Goff and a third-round selection.
It seems like it might be the year of the quarterback with some pretty big names still on the block. There are also a few teams at the top of the draft with gaping holes at quarterback and ample draft ammunition to spare.
With so many players on the move, it’s worth wondering how much Derek Carr would realistically command in a trade? Based on recent history, it might be more than you think. Let’s look at some recent quarterback trades and other high-profile deals to set the benchmark for No. 4.
The Raiders should look at this list
Matthew Stafford Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Matthew Stafford to the Rams
Detroit received: QB Jared Goff, 2022 First-Round Pick, 2023 First-Round Pick, 2021 Third-Round Pick
L.A. received: QB Matt Stafford
Two years removed from the Super Bowl, the Sean McVay-Goff relationship soured, and the Rams moved on. Two first-round picks are a premium for a quarterback approaching the tail end of his career. Goff’s inflated contract played a role, numbing some of the pain for the Rams as they gave up an “all-in” style haul.
Stafford has two years left on his contract: $20M in 2021 and $23M in 2022. It’s a fairly affordable contract similar to Carr’s’ deal: $19.6M in 2021 and $19.8M in 2022.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers
New England received: 2018 Second-Round Pick
San Francisco received: QB Jimmy Garoppolo
The New England Patriots sure love to trade their backup quarterbacks. A single second-round pick for Jimmy Garoppolo seemed like a fair deal at the time. After the San Francisco 49ers were able to parlay that into Super Bowl LIV, it seems even more so.
The Pats were in a little bit of a bind, with Tom Brady still insisting on being the man in Foxborough. They were outleveraged from the start. Kyle Shanahan came knocking for a young signal-caller to mold in his system.
Ultimately, Garoppolo wound up a high-floor/low-ceiling quarterback. Given Carr’s performance in Jon Gruden’s system, a second-round pick is almost unthinkable for a top-10 NFL starter. Then again, it’s not about who is selling but who is buying that determines fair value.
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