Report: Derek Carr to meet with Carolina Panthers at NFL Combine
Former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr will meet with the Carolina Panthers, according to Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer.
Carr was linked to the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints, where he visited on his free agency tour. With no deal in place at the moment, Carr has another option for his home for the 2023 season.
Carr won’t go to Carolina for the meeting, but instead will meet with team officials during the NFL Scouting Combine.
“League source confirms the Panthers and QB Derek Carr will meet in Indianapolis, as (Ian Rapoport) reported earlier,” Kaye wrote on Twitter. “As I said before, the meeting makes sense for multiple reasons. Panthers need a QB and a division rival could be forced into a price hike with a bigger market.”
In addition to the Panthers, Carr is set to meet with the Jets and Saints again while in Indianapolis, per Ian Rapoport.
Sam Darnold is an unrestricted free agent, so it is unclear if he’ll be back in Carolina. PJ Walker is a restricted free agent but is likely not the long term answer as well.
The only quarterback signed to the roster for 2023 at the moment is second-year man Matt Corral, a former Ole Miss star drafted by the team last spring.
Carr spent the entirety of his nine-year career to this point with the Raiders, but led them to just two playoff appearances in that span. He became a free agent with an opportunity to receive an even bigger payday than the $40.4 million he was set to receive if he stayed in Las Vegas.
But it is unknown if he’ll get that type of cash with his new team.
Carr left the Raiders as the franchise’s all-time leading passer with 35,222 yards, 217 touchdowns and 99 interceptions. He made four Pro Bowl appearances over his career including this past season. Carr threw for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions as Las Vegas finished 6-11 in 2022.
Panthers head coach Frank Reich was asked about Carr earlier this month. However, the new head coach did not confirm nor deny the team would bring him in for a visit.
“You know, interesting question,” Reich said. We’re really literally sitting down with the guys today (and our) first staff meeting will be tomorrow. But I’ve kind of met with guys individually saying, ‘Okay, here’s what we’re doing first. Step one is to evaluate our roster, you know, so we’re really just starting that process. So, step two, evaluate the free agents.
“Everybody’s got their list. Step three, now go into the college guys. So that process has literally begun so I’m really not ready to address the specifics of that because we’re really just beginning.”