Quarterback Derek Carr has gotten a one-month had start on free agency. It’s a great position to be in, allowing him to talk to other teams, to visit other teams, and eventually to sign with other teams before any of the looming free agents are available.
So where will he go? After he was benched in December, we painted with the broadest possible brush regarding his possible destinations. Now, sports books have listed odds on Carr’s next team.
Earlier today, PointsBet updated their board. The Panthers are the favorites at +140, with the Saints (a team Carr visited last week) at +150.
Next are the Jets at +275, with the Buccaneers at +800, the Commanders at +1400, the Patriots at +1400, the Titans at +1800, the Colts at +2000, the Falcons at +2000, the Packers at +2000, and the Texans at +4000.
The Commanders won’t do it, based on coach Ron Rivera’s on-the-record comments from last week. The Patriots seem to be not an option, given that McDaniels didn’t do well ;ast season in Patriot Way West. And the Colts seem to be off the “veteran quarterback” wagon.
The Jets become intriguing, now that former Raiders quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Todd Downing is the passing-game coordinator in New York.
For the Panthers to be the favorite, the sports books must know something. And given the team’s struggles when it comes to finding a great quarterback, why not roll the dice on someone who has been good enough?
Generally, it’s hard to make a case for the long shots. Which is probably why they’re long shots.