Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is in the fifth and final year of his $125 million contract.
Carr has been the glue that had kept this team together through a move from Oakland to Las Vegas and through all of the issues that accompanied the resignation of his head coach Jon Gruden during the 2021 season after offensive emails were unearthed by an NFL investigation into the Washington Commanders.
💬"A lot of emotions obviously… There will be a day for those feelings, but from an emotional standpoint I've got a job to do."💬
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has spoken on the resignation of Jon Gruden after the emergence of offensive emails sent by the former head coach.
— Sky Sports NFL (@SkySportsNFL) October 15, 2021
There are times when it seems like the Raiders are not fully invested in Carr as evidenced by the brief Marcus Mariota flirtation the franchise had for two seasons.
Jon Gruden on Marcus Mariota:
"Really fired me up today. He has turned a corner with his ankle and is a dazzling playmaker."
— Allan Bell (@AllanBell247) August 14, 2020
Carr has looked over his shoulder almost every year of his eight-year career with the Raiders, and his performance has not justified it.
In fact, the Raiders should be doing the exact opposite.
They should be rewarding his loyalty and outstanding performance with a lucrative extension.
Here are a few reasons why.
2. Leadership
Carr has led the Raiders through so many setbacks.
Jon Gruden resigning during the 2021 season in a flurry of controversy was just one of the issues he faced.
Raiders QB Derek Carr stated he loved Jon Gruden after his controversy/resignation, and now says Henry Ruggs III needs to be loved, and he’ll be the one to do it. Basically he can love the sinner while hating the sin. Most people aren’t built like Derek Carr.#RaiderNation #NFL
— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) November 4, 2021
The other was far more significant.
It was the aftermath of Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III’s fatal drunk driving accident in November.
What a great answer from @derekcarrqb. Henry Riggs made a terrible decision and it ended up killing someone. It also ruined a promising career. But Carr is 100% correct and I have no doubt he’ll follow through. https://t.co/uy5DeWYNTT
— Joel Tyler (@joeltyler11) November 4, 2021
Through it all, Carr exudes class, leadership, compassion, and dignity to all parties involved.
1. Performance
He has played in 127 regular-season games.
His win-loss record at 57-70 is not great, but he has spent a lot of seasons without adequate protection or weapons around him.
He has been forced to carry the team himself which is a tall order with the Raiders who have a reputation for starting strong and then fading at the end of the season.
Without Carr, this 57-70 would likely be worse.
He has thrown for 31,700 yards with more than twice as many touchdowns as interceptions.
Carr has 193 touchdowns and 85 interceptions.
His sack number is high at 237, but that is a product of not a great offensive line as well as Carr having to be the playmaker all of the time.
Derek Carr finds Renfrow for a touchdown to take the lead. Beats Howard pic.twitter.com/1vrb4VgHni
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 26, 2021
With Davante Adams joining the Raiders in 2022 and the continued emergence of Hunter Renfrow, Carr is finally getting consistent weapons.
David Carr on recruiting Davante Adams to the Raiders 😅 pic.twitter.com/rpiUlOTlBo
— sportsthread (@sportsthread) March 29, 2022
Conclusion
Carr has punched his card as the franchise quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders.
The world needs more people like Derek Carr. It has truly been an honor to follow this young man from Bakersfield to Fresno to Oakland and now to Las Vegas. Keep being the light, DC4 ✊🏽 https://t.co/Hi6nP1qzI3
— Rico S LaMota🇲🇽🇰🇭🇺🇸 (@GreenV559) November 5, 2021
Even the relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas, two cities with entirely different vibes, was managed with ease by Carr.
In an era of young hotshot quarterbacks earning big bucks, the 31-year-old Carr has paid his dues and deserves a big contract also.
Though given his character, it would not be surprising if he took a smaller paycheck to ensure that he has quality teammates around him.
Stability seems to be on the horizon for him with the hiring of former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as the team’s new head coach.
Josh Mcdaniels says the Raiders plan to build around Derek Carr. Watch the interview straight shooter! Looks like Derek will be here to lead the team again #RaiderNation #JustWinBaby pic.twitter.com/Ia5LKrbtxG
— Jimmy James (@LaJeunesseArt) February 1, 2022
McDaniels and Tom Brady created miracles together so the same is hopefully true for McDaniels, Carr, and Raiders fans who are long overdue for a consistent playoff-worthy team.
In the meantime, Carr has been through the good, bad, and downright ugly with the Raiders so he deserves a lucrative extension as the team heals and appears to be headed in a winning direction.
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