Longtime Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr never really got he commitment he wanted from former head coach Jon Gruden and Co.
Despite Gruden publicly stating that he was ready to roll with Carr over the past several seasons, there was always this belief that the now-disgraced former head coach was always on the look out for an upgrade.
Now that the Raiders have a new brass in head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, this likely won’t be the case moving forward.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport broke down the situation ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams. In said report, Rapoport noted that the Raiders are committed to Carr and will look to sign him to a contract extension this offseason.
“Sources say the Raiders are moving forward with Carr at QB and prepared to discuss a contract extension that would keep him in Las Vegas for the foreseeable future.”
Ian Rapoport on Derek Carr situation (February 13, 2022)
Carr, 30, has one more season remaining on his current five-year, $125 million contract. He’s set to count a mere $19.88 million against the cap in 2022. That’s the 15th highest-mark among NFL quarterbacks at this point.
Related: Key offseason questions facing the Las Vegas Raiders
What a Derek Carr contract extension might look like
Statistically, Carr has been a top-10 quarterback in the NFL since he took over as the Raiders’ starting quarterback as a rookie back in 2014.
- Derek Carr stats (2021): 68% completion, 4,804 yards, 23 TD, 14 INT, 94.0 rating
Despite putting up his worst statistical performance since 2018 this past season, Carr led Vegas to a surprising 10-7 record and a spot in the playoffs.
The Fresno state product also acted like a team leader during a season that was defined by off-field drama. That included Gruden resigning and former first-round pick Henry Ruggs being released after being charged with DUI resulting in death.
There’s more to Carr’s value than basic stats. It appears the Raiders’ brass understands this. That became evident during the introductory press conference for McDaniels and Ziegler.
“He certainly did a good job this year leading this offense. We have the capacity and capability of winning here with Derek at quarterback. We know that.”
Josh McDaniels on Derek Carr (January 31, 2022)
Related: Find out where Derek Carr ranks among NFL QBs
The question now becomes what a Derek Carr contract extension might look like. He’s currently vastly underpaid in the grand scheme of things. The Raiders’ brass must know this.
Something similar to the five-year, $150 million deal Matt Ryan is playing under for the Atlanta Falcons could be in the cards here. That is to say, $30 million annually. Perhaps, Carr demands a few million more per season given how the quarterback market continues to play out.
Either way, expect the three-time Pro Bowler to receive a hefty raise and continue to do the Raiders’ bidding in Sin City moving forward.