BakoSaint

I think we should designate Derek Carr a post-June-1 cut this offseason and cut him.

Carr's $10mil roster bonus for 2025 is already guaranteed but his $30mil salary is not, and if we designate him a post-June-1 cut we can save that $30mil off the cap and the big dead cap hit will be delayed to 2026 (and will not hurt our 2026 cap as it will erase his $50mil salary that year to offset).

The idea that we have a better 'out' with Carr contract after 2025 or 2026 seasons is BS. The outs look better now, but if we restructure Carr's contract inbetween to kick the can down the road, those outs disappear, and extending Carr into 2030 becomes the out.

But if the front office is on the fence about cutting Carr vs. a classic restructure to kick the can and retain Carr, there is a middle option.

While the $10m roster bonus is already a sunk cost, we could play chicken with Carr over the prospect of a cut to reduce his $30m base salary for 2025 without kicking the can, a straight salary reduction. If another team would offer Carr $30m for 2025 then he would have no fear of being cut, but if the market for Derek Carr is less than $30mil guaranteed as a free agent, he might agree to a salary reduction rather than being cut and losing $30m.

So what is the market for Derek Carr? Who would give him $30mil? I can see teams possibly giving him $20mil as a bridge QB or short term option but I don't think anyone would offer $30mil.

So I hope we cut Carr. But if we don't, I hope we get him to reduce his base salary to $20mil, or less if his performance continues to struggle. I just don't see another team giving him more, so if we pay at all, why overpay?

SmashMouth