Late Tuesday night, NFL.com writer, Michael Silver broke the story that Derek Carr is frustrated with contract negotiations. According to Silver, Carr had expected to make more progress with his contract by this point, but there’s been radio silence. Well Raider Nation, here’s why you shouldn’t sweat it.
Don’t Sweat Derek Carr’s Contract
The Oakland Raiders are very, very fortunate to have not one, but two elite young players. On offense, they’ve got Carr, arguably the best young quarterback in football. And on defense? They’ve got Khalil Mack, the reigning defensive player of the year. While it’s silly to compare the impact of an offensive and defensive player, there’s no question that you need a franchise quarterback to be successful in the NFL in 2017.
What does this mean? It means that there’s no way Reggie McKenzie, Jack Del Rio, Mark Davis, or the Raider Rusher will let a young stud like Derek Carr leave the team. The Raiders are looking to unseat the New England Patriots in the AFC, and they can’t do that without an answer for Tom Brady. The Raiders will pay Derek Carr, and they’ll pay him handsomely.
Off-Season Movements
The Oakland Raiders have been saving money for Derek Carr for years. McKenzie offered free agents incentive-based, front-loaded contracts so that the Raiders would have plenty of cap space when the time came to re-sign Carr and Mack. With most contracts, McKenzie could trade or release his players without significant financial consequences.
The Oakland Raiders are going to pay Carr, and he’s going to make “Andrew Luck” money. Over the last couple of weeks, the Raiders have been working on signing their draftees and undrafted free agents. The roster is starting to come together, and McKenzie has had his hands full.
When things slow down, McKenzie and Carr will sit down and work out a deal that’s great for both sides. Derek Carr wants to re-sign, and the Raiders want to re-sign Carr. It’s really just a matter of time. The off-season is long, and full of horrors, and some writers reach for a story when there isn’t one. It’s like Derek Carr himself said, “I’m a Raider for life.”
