Getty Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr
Derek Carr has opted to do what many Oakland Raiders fans are refusing to right now – believe what head coach Jon Gruden is saying. The 27-year-old quarterback was open when talking about trade rumors which are swirling around him. And even after seeing both Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper dealt, he doesn’t seem worried.
As The Athletic’s Vic Tafur revealed, Carr stated that both general manager Reggie McKenzie and Gruden have made it known trading him is “not something they’re thinking about.”
Asked Carr if he checked in with Gruden or McKenzie to see if he is on trading block: “The way they communicate to me privately is that it’s not something they’re thinking about.”
While Carr may not be expecting to get shipped out of town, it seems he’s prepared for anything, thanks to his brother. As Matt Schneidman of the Bay Area News Group revealed, David Carr, former NFL quarterback and current analyst, once told his brother that anyone can be cut. The proof of that? Peyton Manning.
Carr on possibility he gets traded: “My brother told me when I came to the NFL, ‘If they cut Peyton Manning, they can cut you, too.'”
How Far Will Raiders Push the Roster Overhaul?
This is the million dollar question and the toughest thing to gauge. Regardless of what Gruden says, it seems that the right price could lead to him being open to moving virtually any player. Although Carr has been hit-or-miss this season, the same can be said about the entire Raiders offense.
Names like defensive backs Karl Joseph and Gareon Conley have each been linked as potential trade options. Both are 25 or younger and have flashed upside at various points in their young careers. Maybe one of those two will be next to see the door, but Raiders fans surely need to hold onto their hats over the coming weeks and through the 2019 offseason.
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