Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr will enter the final year of his five-year, $125 million contract extension in the 2022 season.
Don’t expect Carr to go anywhere.
Newly named Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels spoke highly of Carr when both were asked about the quarterback during their introductory news conference Monday.
“Derek has won a lot of games in this league and we’ve competed against each other a number of times,” said McDaniels, the former New England offensive coordinator and also ex-head coach of the Denver Broncos.
“I have a lot of respect for him. He certainly did a good job this year leading their offense. I spoke with him yesterday. We had a great conversation. Looking forward to actually getting to meet him and get to know him as a person, as a human being, and then getting to work in terms of developing our offense this year into what it’s going to be. But there’s no question that we have the capacity and capability of winning with Derek here. We all know that.
“I look forward to the challenge of trying to grow, not only Derek, but everybody on the roster to try to reach our potential. I look forward to our relationship.”
Carr has gone on record that he’d likely retire rather than play for another team, and he has never gone against his word. He said he wants to bring a Super Bowl to the Raiders — a team that he has grown up rooting for with his uncle, Lon Boyett, playing for the franchise in 1978.
Lacking a No. 1 receiver? No problem
Despite not having a No. 1 receiver for the past several seasons, Carr still utilized what he had with him and still made it work.
Darren Waller was named a Pro Bowl tight end last season after topping 1,000 yards in 2020 and 2019.
Hunter Renfrow was named to the Pro Bowl this season after he finished with 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. He is the first Raiders wide receiver to hit 1,000 yards since Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree each accomplished that in 2016.
Carr has 30 game-winning drives — six this past season — and this season played such a critical role in holding the team together with turmoil that hit the team. The Raiders made the playoffs and finished the season 10-7.
Patriots had interest in Carr
The Patriots reportedly tried trading for the 30-year-old Carr prior to the 2021 season. Instead, the Patriots drafted Mac Jones who went on to pass for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns.
“For McDaniels, he now inherits a quarterback in Derek Carr that he’s always liked,” NFL analyst Ian Rapoport said on Sunday. “In fact, the Patriots tried to trade for Carr before the season. Now, McDaniels and Ziegler get him. A new day in Las Vegas.”
Ziegler said he already spoke to Carr on Sunday and is looking forward to getting to know more about him.
“I think the one thing that we all understand is there’s going to be a process of us learning Derek, Derek learning us, and fitting all those pieces together,” Ziegler said.
“I think that’s going to be step one is building the relationship, understanding what Derek does well. Derek understanding what Josh and the offensive staff is trying to build, and I think as that collaboration goes, then you kind of see how everything fits together. I think until you see how everything — you have to see how everything fits together and kind of work from that point. We’re just really excited to have Derek here and to get to know him and get to know his strengths and get to work with him in our system.”