Did Raiders' Josh McDaniels sit Derek Carr with Tom Brady in mind?

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels has insisted the call to move on from quarterback Derek Carr wasn't related to potentially signing Tom Brady this offseason. 

"That decision really had nothing to do with any other player," McDaniels explained at the NFL combine, according to Zack Cox of NESN. "It was about what we thought was best at the time for us. I’m not surprised — honestly, nothing would surprise me with Tom. He’s a great friend of mine. Whatever’s best for Tom and his family. In this case, it was to retire. I’m certainly happy for him, and that’s not going to change our friendship." 

Almost immediately after McDaniels sat Carr in late December, Brady and retired tight end Rob Gronkowski were linked with the Raiders for multiple reasons. Brady and Gronkowski both played under McDaniels when he served as offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots, and it's widely believed that the two future Hall of Famers nearly joined the Raiders in 2020.

Las Vegas and Carr officially parted ways last month. 

Brady retired for a second time and "for good" on Feb. 1, but that hasn't kept his name out of the minds of NFL reporters and league executives this winter. No fewer than three insiders recently suggested the San Francisco 49ers could at least reach out to Brady about possibly playing for them next season, and general manager John Lynch didn't slam the door on the idea while speaking at the combine on Tuesday. Additionally, Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht made it known he's leaving a "flashlight" on for another possible Brady return to the organization. 

In a piece published this past Monday, The Athletic's Tashan Reed mentioned that Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers isn't a realistic option for the Raiders because general manager Dave Ziegler doesn't believe the club is "'one or two' major veteran acquisitions away from being a legitimate contender." While the Raiders would have to trade with Green Bay for Rodgers, Brady is set to become a free agent when the new league year opens on March 15.