Raiders Benching Derek Carr Gives Opportunity To Former Patriot

The Raiders will have a new look behind center for their final two games of the 2022 regular season.

Las Vegas head coach Josh McDaniels on Wednesday revealed Derek Car will be benched for Weeks 17 and 18, even though the Silver and Black aren’t yet mathematically eliminated from NFL playoff contention. Carr enters the penultimate week of the campaign as the league leader in interceptions thrown (14), a title he earned after throwing three picks in the Raiders’ ugly road loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Eve.

McDaniels also didn’t commit to Carr as Las Vegas’ starting quarterback for next season.

“There’s a lot to be sorted through once the season is over,” McDaniels told reporters, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

With Carr sidelined, Jarrett Stidham is in line to make the first start of his NFL career Sunday when Las Vegas hosts the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers. Stidham, a 2019 fourth-round pick by New England, was packaged with a 2023 seventh-round pick in a May trade that yielded the Patriots a 2023 sixth-rounder from the Raiders. The Auburn product has attempted 61 passes in his career, completing 32 for 342 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

Should Stidham falter Sunday and/or in Week 18 against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders will turn to 23-year-old Chase Garbers, a rookie signal-caller who signed with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent.

The post Raiders Benching Derek Carr Gives Opportunity To Former Patriot appeared first on NESN.com.