Answering Your Las Vegas Raiders Questions, Carr's Future?
HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders are sitting at 6-8, with their NFL Playoffs dreams still alive after the "Win City Miracle" finish to their contest versus the New England Patriots.
The Silver and Black fan base has many questions, one in particular, and I spent a lot of time researching and talking to people in the know to find the answer.
Hondo, there have been two stories that I know of about Derek Carr's future with the Las Vegas Raiders. Do you have any insight from your sources on that? --Thank you, Scott B.
Scott, I do. My answer will be long, but here it goes.
To answer your question, I have to explain a situation from my past. Years ago, a coach told me that a player was NOT returning to his team in the fall. When I reported that, another media member spoke to the player, who assured him I was wrong.
That reporter repeatedly mocked me for months for getting my story wrong. He didn't know that the coach was keeping the player around to improve his GPA so that his poor GPA wouldn't hurt the program when he was dismissed from the team.
That other reporter wasn't wrong in his sourcing; we can all agree that a player is a terrific source. But I had a better one.
I say that because I have not read any other reports and my report is not repudiation against anyone. Here is what I know.
When I started covering the Raiders three years ago, there were multiple reports that Derek Carr would be thrown away from the Raiders. I researched and spoke with those directly involved, who told me that was not happening, and I reported that, and I was right.
I reported a year before Davante Adams came to the Raiders that he wanted to come here, and the chance of it happening was very viable. I was mocked when I said the day before the trade was announced he was coming, and I was right—the same with Josh McDaniels getting the job.
I do not write that to pat myself on the back, I do it as proof of performance from the sources I have.
Here is what I know. The Raiders will not go into 2023 with a plan of starting a rookie. So those wanting a rookie drafted and starting will not get their way.
The Raiders have not decided to move on from Derek. That said, the Raiders are willing to move on from ANY player on the roster who they feel makes them better.
There are some things to consider with Derek. He has a no-trade clause, and Carr said he would retire before playing for anyone else.
According to one NFL Executive, the feeling around the Raiders and the NFL is that "There is a thought process that he would not go to just anywhere, but there are a handful of clubs he would consider."
If that sentiment is true or not, we don't know. I didn't ask Derek, and I won't. Not during the season when the NFL Playoffs are still out there.
With that said, there is a known sentiment that Coach Josh McDaniels and General Manager Dave Ziegler believe in and love Derek, as I reported when Silver and Black hired McDaniels. The presence of Carr was a big reason he took the job.
So who is better than Derek Carr? A very vocal part of the fan base would say: "Anyone." That is comical and unrealistic for a coach that will get a second season, but one that cannot look like year one.
There are names that multiple NFL Executives have mentioned to me.
Tom Brady is very close to McDaniels, but Brady comes with baggage. I am not talking about his very public divorce. Does he want to play next season? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have afforded him special treatment. Not one NFL Executive or member of the Raiders organization I spoke to feels he would get the special treatment playing for McDaniels and Ziegler. He missed extensive time in training camp and the season for personal reasons. One of which was attending a wedding. One executive from an NFC team told me: "No way he would have gotten away with that with Bill (Belichick) or Josh." Would Brady come and commit knowing that the Raiders wouldn't allow that? Would McDaniels acquiesce and let him?
Many people feel like the San Francisco 49ers would be in play for Brady, but as one AFC Executive told me: "They have had more than one chance for Tom and haven't wanted him. They got their Mr. Irrelevant becoming relevant, don't see that happening, at all."
Would the Raiders move on from Carr for Brady? If Brady understood, there would be no special treatment, and if he was all in.
Derek has been different this year. His teammates have noticed it as well. He has given maximum effort, but he seems to be easily frustrated. One organization member told me: "I don't know what bothers him, I love him, but it seems obvious that he is not his old self. I love him; I want him here, and I am not rooting for a change." He added: "I can only imagine the constant barrage of negativity gets f****ing old."
If the Raiders could move on to an option that they feel makes them better, while they know there is a substantial market for a Derek Carr that most teams around the NFL love, that would be best for both parties. But, they would let him retire and make that move if it made them better. The cap hit would be insignificant.
One executive said it best: "Raiders fans are sold a bill of goods by their team of Just Win Baby. It is the franchise's fault. Don't blame your fans for being pissed that you’re losing, blame the organization that sells that and doesn't live by it. The team has hardly every had a defense for the kid (Carr) yet it is always his fault."
He added: "Be careful what you wish for. There are guys better than Derek Carr, no question. But that isn't an extensive list, and those guys don't come available all the time. Mark Davis gave Josh McDaniels a mulligan in year one, he won't get that in year two. McDaniels and Ziegler aren't stupid, it is hard but not impossible to get better than Derek, but you can't jump to just please fans, or next year you are done. And there won't be a second chance for Ziegler, or a third chance for McDaniels, and they know that."
So in answering your question, have they made a decision? Based on those in the organization who have given me excellent information, as mentioned earlier, no.
Would they move on? They would move on from anyone if they could get better, and the reality is that the list of who is better is minimal. But that list does exist, so you can't say no, and I do not believe they would.
Would they trade Carr if they could get better? Yes, and there would be a very long list of teams wanting him, and I believe the ransom would be two first-round picks. But, if Carr said no and they felt they could improve, they would let him go. But they don't dislike Carr and aren't in a hurry to do so.
This regime knows Mark Davis was patient in year one. They also know that they shouldn't expect exactly the same in year two.
The Raiders return to action on Christmas Eve, on Saturday in Pittsburgh versus the Steelers. That game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. EST/5:15 p.m. PST and can be seen on NFLN.
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