Following a Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Las Vegas Raiders are drawing consequences after a thoroughly disappointing season and are retiring their longtime quarterback Derek Carr. The sad low point of a costly misunderstanding that may be seen as a wake-up call for the entire franchise.

The Las Vegas Raiders have pulled the ripcord after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, booting quarterback Derek Carr effective immediately. Backup Jarrett Stidham will lead the team for the rest of the season.

And what’s more, Carr won’t even be on the roster anymore. Chase Garbers will take over the role of backup from now on, according to “ProFootballTalk”.

Head coach Josh McDaniels personally announced the decision, underscoring that the franchise is far from satisfied with the way the season has gone and obviously blames much of the misery on their quarterback.

Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr disappoints across the board

With a current record of 6-9, the franchise misses the playoffs once again.

The quarterback looked completely off his game throughout the season and couldn’t even begin to live up to the high expectations.

Only 60.8 percent of his passes were completed. This was the second-worst performance of the 31-year-old’s career; only his debut season in the NFL was worse.

And with 14 interceptions, Carr also equalled his negative total from the previous season, with three against the Steelers.

The departure of their starting quarterback two days before the end of the regular season no longer comes as a surprise, just a few months after the hopeful dream of the big time in Las Vegas.

Even though everything looked so good before the season.

Las Vegas Raiders: Dream duo Carr and Adams failed

Retrospective on mid-March this year. Amid great media uproar, the Raiders land an absolute coup, trading for star receiver Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers.

A long-time friend of quarterback Carr, he could hardly believe his luck at being reunited with his college buddy from Fresno State.

It was supposed to be the starting gun for a golden future in the Mecca of gambling – the Raiders finally emerging as a contender.

A good nine months later, the project to build a Super Bowl-winning team around the Carr-Adams duo has not only turned out differently than expected, but may be considered a dismal failure.

With the demotion of the quarterback, McDaniels himself declared the Vegas endeavour a failure in his first stint as head coach in the NFL.

The coach’s statements speak volumes, Carr no longer appears to have a future with the Raiders.

Las Vegas Raiders and Derek Carr face separation

It all looks like this is the beginning of the end for Carr with the team that drafted him in the second round at No. 36 in 2014.

After nine seasons with the Raiders, there are growing signs that the 31-year-old will no longer be a part of the franchise next season despite a valid contract until after the 2025 season.

It was only in April this year that Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension. However, according to “Spotrac”, the franchise left a loophole open to release the player early after the current season for a comparatively very low $5.625 million to Dead Cap.

Everything looks like a contract termination before the beginning of February, because after that it would become really expensive for the franchise. According to NFL expert Dov Kleiman, Carr’s contract for the coming season is fully guaranteed at the end of January and will cost a hefty $40.4 million.

This is a situation the franchise will almost certainly want to avoid.

Las Vegas Raiders: Who will be Carr’s successor?

Giving the inexperienced Stidham a chance to prove himself now to close out the season makes perfect sense.

However, with an eye on the future and the likely parting of ways with Carr, it’s safe to assume the Raiders will be on the lookout for an outside solution at the quarterback position with immediate effect.

The upcoming free agency is solid at the top. Certainly at the top is the name of veteran Tom Brady, who after two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can once again test the free agent market. The G.O.A.T. in Vegas? There was already something in the past, wasn’t there?

Besides that, perhaps the personnel Daniel Jones could be interesting for the franchise’s officials in terms of age and perspective, whose contract option for an extension was declined by the New York Giants.

And the name Jimmy Garoppolo is also likely to be discussed by the team from Nevada. The 31-year-old will also become a free agent in February and knows Coach McDaniels very well from their time together in New England.

Whether McDaniels himself will still be in charge in the coming season, however, will also be exciting to see. This position will also be put to the test.

Keeping their eyes on the field for now, however, those in charge may want to put the franchise’s fate in the hands of a much younger quarterback.

Las Vegas Raiders: Is Carr’s successor coming in the draft?

The 2023 draft again features some hot commodities. Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Strout, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Florida’s Anthony Richardson are all considered prospects.

The Raiders’ coaching staff is certain to turn the draft class completely inside out in the coming weeks and months in order to scout out the possible hopefuls for the future.

Who will ultimately lead the Raiders’ fortunes on the field and succeed Carr remains to be seen.

At least there is no time pressure except with regard to Carr’s contract in the realignment of the franchise.

And when the decision is finally made, even Carr’s bosom friend Adams will have calmed down again.

Because one thing is clear: the show in Vegas must always go on.