Cleveland Browns: 3 trade targets from Las Vegas Raiders
Cleveland Browns trade target No. 1: Derek Carr, QB
Quarterback Derek Carr may be the biggest question mark on the Las Vegas Raiders roster in terms of availability, under both the former staff and the new staff. Every year, rumors arise that Carr may not be the guy to lead the team, whether it’s from the team or Carr’s camp, likely in efforts to initiate trade conversations.
The Cleveland Browns need to jump on the phone and be among the first to speak with new head coach Josh McDaniels about trading for Carr, and moving on from current quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Browns Twitter is currently in a daily battle with each other, with arguments between those who are pro-Mayfield and those who are pro-improving at the position. While Mayfield has shown struggles to improve beyond his rookie season, both in statistical categories, analytics, and on film, Carr has only improved each year he has been in the league.
While Carr’s teams haven’t had much success making the playoffs, that doesn’t signify that he is a failure at quarterback. The tale of the tape is that Carr is a far superior player than Mayfield, and you have to look past the imaginary stat called “Quarterback Wins” to really see how good a player is.
Take a look at Matthew Stafford in 2021. He began his career for the Detroit Lions, and while having great stats, never was able to overcome the ineptitude of the rest of the roster to win anything of value. While the Raiders are a better franchise than the Lions, the same could ultimately be true for Derek Carr – moving on to a new organization could be what he needs to get over the hump and finally see success beyond the statistical realm.
The truth of the matter is, Mayfield has taken the Browns as far as he can get them. Without having everything else around him perfect, he can’t get over the hump. Carr has more ability to do so, which is why he would be a much better fit for the team long term.
Next. 3 Free Agents that may not have a mutual interest. dark
Acquiring Carr would cost a lot, including multiple draft picks and Mayfield, but the reward would far outweigh the value given up. Acquiring a proven talent at the quarterback position means that you can truly begin to focus on building the rest of the roster around Carr, and truly get the organization where you want to be – on the stage hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.