Latest On Raiders QB Derek Carr
Derek Carr got his wish earlier tonight when the Packers traded for wideout Davante Adams. Next up: a lucrative extension. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Raiders will now pivot to extending their quarterback. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets that an extension is coming “sooner than later.”
[RELATED: Packers Trade WR Davante Adams To Raiders]
When the Raiders hired Dave Ziegler as GM and Josh McDaniels as head coach, some were questioning whether Carr would be moved. The organization continued to say that Carr would be sticking around Las Vegas, and the Raiders’ decision to reunite their QB with his college WR all but confirms that Carr will be with the team for the foreseeable future.
Back in 2017, Carr became the first player in the NFL to average $25MM per season. Even while breaking that barrier, Carr claimed at the time that he was leaving money on the table. Pundits posit that Carr has earned near-top-tier money that could make him yet another quarterback to join the $40MM per year club, joining the likes Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Dak Prescott.
Carr’s current deal runs through the 2022 season, so the two sides will surely want to complete a deal before the offseason is over. The front office has already spent big money to extend Adams and Maxx Crosby, so Carr should see a lucrative contract before long.
Raiders, Maxx Crosby Working On Deal
The Raiders and defensive end Maxx Crosby are working on a new contract that would make him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. Meanwhile, they’re prioritizing Crosby’s deal over an extension for quarterback Derek Carr.
[RELATED: Latest On Derek Carr’s Trade Market]
Crosby, a 2019 fourth-round pick, has blossomed into one of the Raiders’ most impactful defenders. The Eastern Michigan product still has one more year to go on his deal, but new Raiders GM Dave Ziegler doesn’t want to let him get anywhere near the open market. Ziegler doesn’t want to show his hand or come on too strong, but he’s hinted that a Crosby contract is on the agenda.
“As we’re kind of going through free agency and getting to the draft, there are going to be some of those organic conversations you’re going to have. I wouldn’t say we’re there yet,” Ziegler said. “I know it’s a curious question and I get that, but we’re just trying to take so many small bites right now. In due time, we’ll look at all those things. But it’s always good to have good players.”
Crosby, 24, earned his trip to the Pro Bowl in 2021 with eight sacks, 30 quarterback hits, 13 tackles for loss, and a league-leading 92 pressures. All in all, he’s got 25 sacks to his credit with perfect attendance throughout his young career. Tafur believes that Crosby could land in the second tier of edge rushers, somewhere behind T.J. Watt ($28MM/year), Joey Bosa ($27MM/year), and Myles Garrett ($25MM/year). A deal similar to that of Chiefs DE Frank Clark (five years, $105.5MM) could make sense, Tafur writes, though it’s worth noting that Clark inked his deal in 2019, before the market really picked up. Crosby also has stronger numbers than Clark, so there’s a case for a higher AAV.
Carr, meanwhile, set a new personal watermark in passing yards (4,804) with 23 touchdowns against 14 interceptions and a 68%+ completion rate. He also brought the Raiders to the playoffs, but the new regime may still prefer to start fresh.
“Multiple Teams” Interested In Derek Carr
With plenty of questions surrounding the biggest names who may or may not be on the quarterback market, other signal callers have generated buzz. One of those is Derek Carr, whose future has been thought to be in doubt given his contract status and the arrival of a new regime in Las Vegas. Not surprisingly, then, Vincent Bonsignore of The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (via Twitter) that there could be a trade market developing for him.
[Related: McDaniels Confirms Carr As 2022 Starter]
Specifically, Bonsignore states that “multiple teams have expressed interest” in Carr. Again, that doesn’t come as a surprise, given that he only has one year remaining on his current deal. At a cap hit under $20MM, he would be an appealing acquisition for a number of teams looking for at least a bridge QB in the short- to medium-term. However, new head coach Josh McDaniels said earlier this week there was “no doubt” Carr would remain the Raiders’ starter in 2022.
Once it had been announced that McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler were being hired, there was a reported “mutual admiration” between Carr – who will be 31 by the beginning of next season – and the new men in charge. He set a career high in passing yards last year with 4,804, adding 23 touchdowns while completing over 68% of his passes. Most importantly, he made his playoff debut in his eighth season, all with the Raiders.
While all signs point to Carr remaining in Vegas, Bonsignore adds that outside interest should “continue to heat up” as long as Carr’s future beyond 2022 remains up in the air. Between contract talks, and other QB dominoes falling in the coming days and weeks, more clarity on this situation could be coming soon.
Josh McDaniels: Derek Carr To Remain Raiders’ Starter
Josh McDaniels‘ first try as a head coach involved an early feud with the team’s starting quarterback and a seismic trade occurring soon after. It does not appear the new Raiders HC has his sights set on a quarterback change to start his second HC go-round.
When asked by NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero if he was prepared to confirm Derek Carr would be Las Vegas’ Week 1 starter, McDaniels indicated there was “no doubt” this would be the case (video link). This follows a report that indicated mutual respect exists between Carr and the longtime Patriots offensive coordinator. This would be Carr’s ninth season as the Raiders’ QB1.
In Denver, McDaniels’ irking of Jay Cutler led to a stunning trade in April 2009, sending the 2008 Pro Bowler to Chicago for a package of picks. McDaniels trading up for Tim Tebow in the 2010 first round added to a dismal quarterback run for the young coach/de facto personnel czar in Denver. It seems McDaniels is eyeing a more stable start to his Raiders tenure.
Carr spent most of Jon Gruden‘s stay in trade rumors, but the Raiders kept going year to year with the Reggie McKenzie-era draftee. The Raiders brought in Marcus Mariota to push Carr in 2020, but the longtime starter staved off the former No. 2 overall pick. Mariota is on track for free agency again. Last season, Carr led the Raiders to the playoffs despite the midseason exits of Gruden and Henry Ruggs. Carr finished with a career-high 282.6 passing yards per game, though his QBR figure (52.4, 14th) dropped after back-to-back marks above 64 (10th, 11th).
The Raiders will soon need to make a decision on Carr, and McDaniels added (via Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed, on Twitter) the sides have not begun extension discussions yet. Carr’s $25MM-per-year contract — an NFL record when signed in June 2017 — runs through the 2022 season. If the Raiders are committed to the soon-to-be 31-year-old passer, they will need to authorize a big raise.
QB Carr’s Future In Vegas Secure
Quarterback Derek Carr‘s future with the Raiders has been hot and cold for quite a while now, but, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the new leadership in Las Vegas is prepared to show their commitment to the eighth-year veteran with a contract extension. 
Just before the start of February, the Raiders announced the hirings of two former New England employees. They were taking the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, to fill the role of head coach and the Patriots’ director of player personnel, Dave Ziegler, to fill the role of general manager. Both McDaniels and Ziegler had shown interest in trading for Carr during their time in New England.
Since the departures of former head coach Jon Gruden and former general manager Mike Mayock, Carr has been unsure of his future, claiming that his status could be impacted by the team’s hires. Carr’s top choice to replace Gruden was, in fact, McDaniels. The mutual support and respect is something that Carr has not had the luxury of enjoying throughout his eight years with the organization.
Joel Corry, who writes for CBS Sports on NFL contracts and salary caps, tweeted out some ideas of what an extension may look like for Carr. Back in 2017, Carr became the first player in the NFL to average $25MM per annum. Even while breaking that barrier, Carr claimed at the time that he was leaving money in the cap for deals with guard Gabe Jackson and outside linebacker Khalil Mack. Corry and Rapoport both posit that Carr has earned near-top-tier money that could make him the fourth quarterback to join the $40MM per year club, joining the likes Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Dak Prescott.
The Raiders have some time to figure out a deal with Carr, as he’s under contract through next season. They may attempt to make a show of good faith and offer an extension before the start of his contract year, or, with relations between leadership and the quarterback being much healthier, they may be able to take some time to figure out the best deal for both sides. Regardless, it is certainly an improved situation for everyone involved, and the Raiders will hope to reap the benefits.
Raiders Hire Dave Ziegler As GM, Josh McDaniels Expected As HC
The Raiders have announced the hiring of Patriots director of player personnel Dave Ziegler as their new general manager. That means that the official hiring of Patriots OC Josh McDaniels as head coach is right around the corner, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Though McDaniels was a late entrant in this year’s coaching cycle — his only interview, which just took place yesterday, was with the Raiders — he became the frontrunner for the position as soon as he was connected to it. Indeed, he reportedly told the team that he would not accept its interview request unless he was going to be offered the job.
Now 45, McDaniels is best known for his lengthy and tremendously successful run as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, first from 2005-2008 and then again from 2012-2021. Of course, he had the privilege of working with QB Tom Brady for almost all of that time, but the work that he did with rookie passer Mac Jones this year also earned him plenty of positive attention. His ill-fated tenure as Broncos head coach from 2009-10 is well in the rearview mirror at this point, and his leaving the Colts at the altar in the 2018 hiring cycle did not seem to deter other clubs from wanting to bring his talents as an offensive guru aboard (though it is worth keeping that jilting in mind until he puts pen to paper).
Assuming he does finalize a deal with Las Vegas, he will inherit QB Derek Carr, who has one year remaining on his current contract. We recently heard that the Raiders’ HC hire would impact Carr’s future in the silver-and-black, but as Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network tweets, there is “mutual admiration” between Carr and McDaniels, so it could be that an extension for the soon-to-be 31-year-old passer is in the offing.
Obviously, Ziegler will have some say in that. In his previous post with the Patriots, he revamped the team’s scouting department and free agency strategy, as Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com (on Twitter) notes, and he has received a considerable amount of credit for New England’s quick rise back to competitiveness after a disappointing 2020, the first year of the post-Brady era. His philosophy differed from predecessor Nick Caserio and will likely stray from recently-deposed Raiders GM Mike Mayock‘s approach.
Ziegler and McDaniels first worked together with the Broncos in 2010, and the former joined the Pats’ scouting department in 2013 and gradually rose up the ranks (2021 was his first as director of player personnel, a promotion he received after Caserio left Foxborough to become the Texans’ GM). Ziegler has been viewed as McDaniels’ GM-of-choice for awhile now, and it appears that the partnership will soon make its way west.
Raiders’ HC Hire To Impact Derek Carr’s Status; Latest On GM Mike Mayock
The Raiders’ season is over after a gut-wrenching, mistake-filled, sometimes controversial seven-point loss to the Bengals in last night’s wildcard game. The contest ended with a Derek Carr interception on a fourth-and-goal throw that came up several yards short of the endzone, and it’s fair to wonder whether that was Carr’s last pass in silver-and-black.
Team owner Mark Davis was clear that he was not going to begin thinking about 2022 and beyond until the Raiders’ 2021 campaign had come to an end, but now that it has, he has some catching up to do in terms of his search for a permanent head coach (and, perhaps, for a new general manager). No club in need of a new HC or GM has actually hired one just yet, but interviews have gotten underway, and Davis plans for his search to be thorough and legitimate.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that Carr’s future in Las Vegas will be tied to the club’s head coach hire, and he classifies the Raiders’ QB decision as a “mutual” one. The implication is that the head coach and Carr — who stated this summer that he would rather quit football than play for another team — will both have a say in the matter.
Carr has certainly earned that right. While interim head coach Rich Bisaccia has received much-deserved credit for keeping the team together in the wake of the Jon Gruden fiasco, the Henry Ruggs tragedy, and other assorted on-field and off-field difficulties, Rapoport points out that Carr was also instrumental in rallying the troops through the turmoil and closing the regular season on a four-game winning streak. And while Carr’s name has frequently popped up in trade rumors due to his generally strong-but-not-elite play, he has finished in the top-10 in QB rating in two of the past three seasons.
On the other hand, his two turnovers in last night’s playoff loss — including a fumble and the game-ending interception that for some reason was thrown short of the goal line — was emblematic of a season in which he threw for a career-high 14 picks and fumbled a career-high 13 times. In his eight-year career, he has totaled double-digit fumbles five times and has twice led the league in that category. His 57-70 record also leaves much to be desired.
Carr, who will turn 31 in March, has one season remaining on the five-year, $125MM extension he signed in 2017. That $25MM AAV is now a middle-class figure for QBs, and in Rapoport’s estimation, Carr will be in line for a top-of-the-market extension. Rapoport reiterates that GM Mike Mayock‘s job is not necessarily safe, and whoever ends up as the Raiders’ general manager will obviously have a significant say in Carr’s contract and his status with the team as well. If Las Vegas and Carr agree to seek a trade, RapSheet names the Saints, Texans, and Colts as potential landing spots.
For what it’s worth, Carr said in last night’s postgame presser that Bisaccia is the “right guy” for the HC job, and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com suggests that the glowing way in which Raiders players talk about Bisaccia is different than the usual player-speak (Twitter link). Though Bisaccia may not be the favorite, he has given Davis something to seriously consider despite the early playoff exit.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/8/22
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: TE David Wells, LB Tahir Whitehead
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: WR Austin Trammell
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: S Tony Jefferson, T Jaryd Jones-Smith, Isaiah Mack, Tony Poljan
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, DT Frank Herron, WR Keith Kirkwood, WR C.J. Saunders, TE Stephen Sullivan, DB Madre Harper
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: WR Dazz Newsome
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: QB Jake Browning, DT Mike Daniels, K Elliott Fry, S Trayvon Henderson, DE Noah Spence, G Keaton Sutherland, WR Trent Taylor, DT Renell Wren
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB Brian Allen, S Adrian Colbert, G Hjalte Froholdt, CB Herb Miller, DE Curtis Weaver
- Waived: LB Willie Harvey Jr.
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: TE Blake Jarwin (story)
- Promoted: S Tyler Coyle, RB JaQuan Hardy, RB Ito Smith
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: LB Tavante Beckett, T Dan Skipper
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: C Josh Myers (story)
- Promoted: DL Abdullah Anderson, LB La’Darius Hamilton
Houston Texans
- Promoted: WR Jalen Camp, DL Michael Dwumfour, LB Connor Strachan
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from IR: WR Parris Campbell
- Promoted: DB Anthony Chesley, DB Will Redmond, DT Chris Williams
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: P Joseph Charlton, RB Nathan Cottrell, QB Danny Etling, WR Josh Hammond, OL Badara Traore, OL Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: TE Derek Carrier
- Promoted: OL Lester Cotton, WR Tyron Johnson, DT Damion Square
- Waived: TE Daniel Helm
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: LB Kyler Fackrell
- Waived: CB Essang Bassey
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: DB Jake Gervase, DB Grant Haley
- Waived: S JuJu Hughes
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from IR: TE Ben Ellefson
- Promoted: LB Tuf Borland, TE Zach Davidson, S Myles Dorn, DT T.Y. McGill, CB Bryan Mills, CB Parry Nickerson, CB Tye Smith, DE Kenny Willekes
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DB Sean Davis, DL Daniel Ekuale, DB D’Angelo Ross
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: C Will Clapp, DL Malcolm Roach, DB KeiVarae Russell
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Alex Bachman, QB Brian Lewerke, WR David Sills
New York Jets
- Promoted: WR Tarik Black, DE Ronald Blair
- Waived: S Sharrod Neasman, DE Shaq Lawson (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: T Kayode Awosika, LB Christian Elliss, RB Jason Huntley, DB Jared Mayden, DB Mac McCain, TE Richard Rodgers, TE Noah Togiai, T Casey Tucker, DT Raequan Williams, DT Marvin Wilson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: G Rashaad Coward
- Waived: DE Isaiah Buggs
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: CB Emmanuel Moseley
- Promoted: LB Mark Nzeocha, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: WR Aaron Fuller, DB Michael Jackson, DB Josh Jones, WR Cody Thompson
- Placed on IR: T Brandon Shell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: G Aaron Stinnie
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner, TE Darren Fells, WR Cyril Grayson
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DE Kevin Strong, RB Jordan Wilkins, DE Da’Shawn Hand
- Waived: RB Jeremy McNichols
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: FB Alex Armah, DE William Bradley-King, TE Temarrick Hemingway, S Jeremy Reaves
- Placed on IR: TE Ricky Seals-Jones
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/29/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Designated for return: LB Tanner Vallejo, LB Ezekiel Turner
- Released: P Ryan Winslow
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: QB Matt Barkley
Chicago Bears
- Placed on IR: CB Xavier Crawford, S Teez Tabor
Cincinnati Bengals
- Designated for return: OG Xavier Su’a-Filo
Dallas Cowboys
- Designated for return: WR Noah Brown, WR T.J. Vasher, OT Josh Ball
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: OT Cole Van Lanen
- Activated from IR: CB Jaire Alexander
Houston Texans
- Extended: S Grayland Arnold
- Placed on IR: OG Cole Turner, WR Phillip Dorsett
Kansas City Chiefs
- Designated for return: RB Jerick McKinnon
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB Justin March-Lillard, LB Kyle Wilber
- Designated for return: TE Derek Carrier
Los Angeles Chargers
- Designated for return: LB Kyler Fackrell, S Mark Webb
Miami Dolphins
- Designated for return: LB Brennan Scarlett
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: QB Kyle Sloter
- Designated for return: TE Ben Ellefson
- Placed on IR: WR Adam Thielen
New England Patriots
- Designated for return: LB Harvey Langi
New York Giants
- Designated for return: LB Trent Harris
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Javin White
Derek Carr, Raiders Will Not Discuss Extension Until Offseason
Raiders QB Derek Carr has played well over the first four weeks of the 2021 campaign, throwing for nearly 350 yards per game and eight touchdowns against three interceptions while completing over 64% of his passes. Despite the success, Carr will not be discussing a contract extension during the season, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports.
In 2017, Carr inked a five-year, $125MM contract that made him the highest-paid player in the league at the time. Now, however, his $25MM AAV is the 14th-highest mark among quarterbacks, which is one of the reasons why his name continues to crop up in trade rumors. He is signed through the 2022 season.
As Schefter notes, Carr never intended to talk contract during the year, instead preferring to wait until the upcoming offseason. So it’s not as if this represents a change in thinking for Carr, who remains committed to staying with the Raiders for his entire career.
“I’d probably quit football if I had to play for somebody else,” Carr said this summer. “I am a Raider for my entire life. I’m going to root for one team for the rest of my life — it’s the Raiders. So, I just feel that so strong in my heart I don’t need a perfect situation … to make things right. I’d rather go down with the ship, you know what I’m saying, if I have to.”
The Raiders themselves are perfectly content to wait until the offseason as well. Las Vegas is right up against the salary cap at the moment, and while a Carr extension could reduce his 2021 cap number, the club will have more money to spend in 2022 as a result of the cash influx it has realized as a result of the move to Sin City. The salary cap is also expected to increase over the next several years, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to fit a new contract for Carr on the books, even if it will be considerably more valuable than his current one.
Carr’s comeback attempt against the Chargers last week fell a bit short, but the Raiders are still 3-1 and will get a chance to improve on that mark at home against the Bears this afternoon. If Carr can lead his club to a playoff berth in a loaded AFC West, he will have a particularly strong case for a contract in the $40MM/year ballpark.