Answering Your Las Vegas Raiders Questions, Emails

HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders have an amazing fan base that is both loyal and rabid about their team.

That is why we attempt to answer their voracious appetite for Raiders' information each week with our weekly question and answers article.

Hondo, you have been killing it with information. Can you tell me if the Raiders get a compensation pick for Derek Carr? --Keith L.

No, they do not. They are releasing him.

Hondo, I was skeptical about your article on Derek Carr and the divorce. Not because I thought you were lying but because it seemed very one-sided against Derek. It was informative when his brother took to Twitter to praise you for being an honest reporter. Sorry for the skepticism. --Scott T.

Thank you, Scott.

Always appreciated your honest take and reporting. The situation was obviously messy but if Raider fans think for one second I won’t back my brother in every aspect of life, then they don’t understand the definition of brother
Blessings Hondo https://t.co/soDWJbOcTd
— David Carr (@DCarr8) February 13, 2023

Hondo, I am not a media fan, but I applaud you and Vic Tafur for your information. I only read the two of you now. Neither of you speaks for any side, just the facts, and I love it. Keep up the great work. --Heather B.

Thank you, Heather. Vic is a great journalist and a person, and has become a friend. I appreciate your kind words.

How many teams do you know of that are interested in Derek Carr? --K. Bishop

I will answer this, but then I am done talking about Derek Carr, who isn't a Las Vegas Raider. I cover the Raiders, and since he isn't a part of the team until something relevant between Derek and the team happens, I won't answer any more questions. Five that I know of.

One path that hasn't had as much focus is choosing to invest in the rest of the roster and give Jarrett Stidham (a guy drafted by McDaniels, traded for by McDaniels, and coached for five years by McDaniels) a shot. It is also the best option for Mark Davis if McDaniels fails in year two and a new HC takes the helm in 2024. Michael F.

I have written about this so many times that I politely suggest you go back and read those sentiments. I am not against Stidham; the issue is that the team of Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels have not put much trust in him.

Hondo, who is the most to blame for the current state of my beloved Raiders? Josh McDaniels? Dave Ziegler? Derek Carr? --Thank you, Steve S.

Mark Davis.

(Aaron) Rodgers is not a McDaniels scheme guy. He does his own thing. I have seen no evidence of McGenius thinking his way is not the only way. I don't know how that equation can work. But please help me, Doctor Hondo, please. --Michael B.

I am going to have an entire podcast on Thursday about Aaron Rodgers. I can tell you this, if he wants the Raiders' job, it is his. I will say it now; I don't think this is anything but a big mistake for the long-term Raiders—more on Thursday.

Hey Hondo, The best almost always want to play the best, but the AFC is stacked. How much of a consideration for veteran signal callers looking to make a run for a ring is the difficult road to Super Bowl in the AFC coupled with the raiders' last two decades of change & a porous defense in particular? --Jason C.

We are going to find out.

Tom Brady said no, and the job was his if he wanted it. The position is Aaron's if he wants it. If he says no, you know what you need to judge that accurately.

Once you consider the compensation for Rodgers itself, plus the compensation required to acquire him, is there enough left over, even with a heightened salary cap, for the Raiders to address their glaring needs, particularly on Defense? Rodgers is an upgrade at QB, but is it enough of an upgrade to overcome what has been a bad to really bad Defense? If you're in win-now mode, can you fix a defense or line this is that thin that quickly? --Scott D

I will discuss this more with an in-depth podcast on Thursday, but they can pay him and the compensation and address issues. If they give up their number one pick, that would be nearly as disastrous as the Damon Arnette pick. I am not saying they will, but multiple fans have floated that.

Hey Hondo, been reading what to write since you were covering my favorite college team MSU; now you're covering my 2nd favorite NFL team. (Lions will always be my number 1). No matter who the Raiders get at QB. They still desperately need to fix the Defense. What, in your opinion, do you think on Defense they need most? Keep up the great work. --Charles B.

Thank you, buddy. All of us in Spartan Nation are hurting today. They have to address a lot on Defense, and I suspect they will do that with draft picks and free agents.

They need help with the defensive backs but based on year one, I don't have confidence that they have the coaching at the position to bring guys along. Please see my previous article on the biggest issues with this team and what I wrote explicitly about the coaching of Tre'Von Moehrig and Nate Hobbs.

Hondo, I don't know if you can do this this year, but I'll ask. Last year, you had inside information that the Raiders liked Alex Leatherwood and even did interviews about him. If I remember, you were the only one saying he was an actual potential pick. So, what are you hearing this year? If you had to pick right now, and it can change before the NFL Draft, who do the Raiders pick at one? --Greg B.

I hear three names from around the NFL that the Raiders love. These men have had considerable attention from the Raiders scouts. Jalen Carter, the DT from Georgia, is one. The other is OL Peter Skoronski from Northwestern, and the last is Christian Gonzalez, the CB from Oregon. That doesn't mean others aren't getting attention, but those three have garnered the most. There is a long time until the NFL Draft, so that can certainly change.

Now for the weekly hate Hondo file:

Keep your religion to yourself on Twitter. All that is is a crutch for fat f**ks like you who can't handle reality. Wishing Derek your "Christian Brother" well is complete bull sh*t. --Pat G.

I wanted to vomit when Carr showed the world who you really are on Twitter. Your unfair attacks on the Raiders while being the voice of the Carr family are now out there for all to see. You suck, and I hope you die. I hate the Carr's, I hate you, and I wish all of you the worst for destroying my team. --Thomas H.

I will tell you, Mr. Fake Christian, what being a Christian means. Despite the hit job you did on him, the Carr Tweet at you proves they are Christian, and you are on your way to hell. This team will never win a title again for what we did to Derek, and I wish nothing but the worst for you. --J. Garcia

The 2023 NFL Draft will go from April 27-29 and be held at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo. The NFL Scouting Combine is Feb. 28-March 6, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. On March 7, 2023, before 4 p.m. EST is the club's deadline to designate Franchise or Transition Players.

March 13-15 is the free agent negotiation period. Starting at 12 p.m. EDT on March 13 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. EDT on March 15, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2022 Player Contracts at 4 p.m. EDT on March 15.

The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period begins at 4 p.m. EDT on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this season.

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