The Raiders and Derek Carr have reportedly been talking about a new contract, but according to a team insider, the team would like to wait another year before they address Carr’s contract.
“The Raiders will wait until next offseason [to extend Derek Carr’s contract],” Vic Tafur reported for The Athletic. “They want to see Carr lead the team to the playoffs before they give him an extension, in my opinion. It actually could work out well for him if the defense is improved and Carr doesn’t have to carry the team and get all the praise or the blame. He has to be happier with the defensive talent this season, and his patience could be rewarded with a more lucrative deal than he would have gotten now.”
Carr made news last month when he told reporters that he would probably quit playing football if he had to play for someone other than the Raiders. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he is tired of playing football. At a speaking engagement this month, Carr talked about having more fire, energy, and passion about playing football than he has ever had.
The challenge this year for Carr and the Raiders will be much the same as it has been in previous years. The Chiefs remain the most talented team in the AFC West and because of the way they have structured Patrick Mahomes’ contract, Mahomes salary cap hit ($7.4 million) is about a third of Carr’s cap hit ($22.1 million) on the Raiders. If the Raiders choose to extend Carr’s deal they could open up more room to spend on the players around their quarterback, much the way the Chiefs have done with Mahomes.
So why haven’t the Raiders taken this approach with Carr?
Why allow Carr’s cap number to be triple the cap burden of Mahomes?
The advantage to Carr’s current deal is that it gives the team flexibility. If the Raiders choose to move on from Carr in the next couple years, there would be no dead money consequence on the salary cap. In exchange for that flexibility, the Raiders have essentially chosen to try to win with one or two less players around him.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Interesting, Carr is a Hell of a QB.
I think the Raiders stun the critics and make a Deep Playoff Run this Season.
trade mr. dumpoff for a good draft choice and have mariota train him
Hopefully, by this time next year, Jon Gruden, with his 4-12 record in 2018; his 7-9 record in 2019 and his 8-8 in 2020 along with tv analyst Mike Mayock, who thought that DeShon Kizer was a great quarterback, and Derek Carr’s 47-63 won / loss record will no longer be with the Raiders organization. There is a saying in Vegas that says, “Don’t throw good money after bad.” This is exactly what Mark Davis has done with Jon Gruden at 10 million dollars a year for three consecutive year with nothing to show for it and another losing season on the horizon. The new almost 2 billion dollar stadium is great though. Too bad that the current version of the Raiders management and “some” players aren’t worthy of it.
Is Derek Carr the problem? Hello! Hes one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the league. He hasnt had a number 1 reciever since they gave up amari cooper who is a stud in dallas. The defense is the problem. Fix that we are in the playoffs. Playoffs! Playoffs! Dont talk about playoffs till you fix the ddfense. GOOD LUCK Gus Bradley. RAIDER FOR LIFE