There’s been a lot of buzz this offseason, just like the last couple of offseasons, that the Raiders could move on from Derek Carr. That includes a report from about a month ago that a number of teams had called about Carr, and that Las Vegas was at least willing to listen on those calls. 
Nothing much has happened since then though, and Raiders GM Mike Mayock recently sought to squash the speculation. “I think Derek Carr has earned a lot of respect around this league from an awful lot of people,” Mayock told reporters this week, via Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com.
“I think Derek Carr had his best year yet, under Jon Gruden. I think he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and we couldn’t be happier with him,” he continued. “If you’re asking me about Derek, I think Jon and I would both stand shoulder to shoulder and pound the table for Derek Carr.”
If you’ve followed the NFL for long enough you’ve probably gotten pretty good at parsing out what’s GM-speak and what’s real, and Mayock’s comments sounded pretty emphatic and borderline definitive. He definitely didn’t do the kiss of death hedge or the “he’s our quarterback right now” that have become so popular in recent years.
At this point it seems like if a Raiders quarterback is going to get traded it’ll be Marcus Mariota, not Carr. Mariota showed well during his brief appearance in place of an injured Carr late in the season, but although there was some interest at first those talks have reportedly cooled recently as well.
Those 2 could easily change their minds daily though.
Gruden is the problem; not Carr. Gruden loved 80% of all QB’s coming into the league on TV, but doesn’t have the nards to draft one himself, please.
Why should he draft a QB when Carr and Mariota are on the roster, and there’s a zillion other holes to fill?
I have nothing against Carr. But for 3 years now there’s been plenty of articles that Gruden wasn’t the biggest fan of Carr.
Hard to take the guy seriously in that suit
he looks like a budget supervillian
Haha exactly right!
Too much Spider Y 2 Banana going on in Las Vegas, not enough Albacore 3 Y Quesadilla.
Exactly, thank you.
Well, happy except for winning enough of course.
The problem with the Raiders is gruden shouldn’t be making gm decisions, and he has no time to coach the defense. Depending on Guenther was a disaster.
I am old enough to remember Jon Gruden on the cover of SI with Jeff George hugging each other and talking about how Jon wanted to name his son Jeff. Great story only Jeff was released a week later and Rich Gannon was signed.
I don’t see that anyone has mentioned that for the past two years the Raiders started strong and then faltered at the half way mark. Just coincidence but Carr’s average yards per pass increases at that same point.
Last year Carr was on the top 10 edge in almost every positive passing category. I believe that the Raiders have received calls on Carr and are sending a message — They are happy with Carr and have a backup plan. You need to come with a better offer if you want him.
Translation: make us an offer.
They “couldn’t be happier” with Derek Carr?
So…they wouldn’t be happier with him if he won a Super Bowl? If he won 3 straight Super Bowls?
That wouldn’t make them any happier with him?
Good news, Derek. Pressure’s off. You’ve made it. Top of the mountain. Congrats.
Man, that’s an impossibly high bar you’re setting. With your thinking the Chiefs should be looking to replace Patrick Maholmes because he hasn’t won three straight Super Bowls, either.
Also, Carr didn’t build the defense. He didn’t reach for a WR and a CB in last year’s draft. He can only work with what he has, and he’s done a magnificent job.
If Carr won a Super Bowl, would the Raiders be happier with him than they are today, with him having not won a Super Bowl?
If he throws for 150 TD’s and 0 picks this year, would they be happier with him than they are now?
Mayock says no.
I love this pic of Mayock. Looks like all he needs to complete the look is a full link mink coat, a hat tipped to the side, and a big gold chain with a big medallion on it. There is something that seems so sleazy about him …
The Raiders don’t have a QB who’s whining like Watson, Rodgers or Wilson so why wouldn’t they be happy?