Quarterback Derek Carr has entered his ninth year with the Las Vegas Raiders and this was supposed to be the season that the organization finally turned things around for the long-term. Under Carr, there have been some brief moments of success, including a 12-4 record in 2016 and a miraculous playoff run last season. However, neither season saw the team win a playoff game.
The Raiders have had seven head coaches since Carr was drafted but the results have mostly been the same. He’s a good quarterback but it might be time for the two sides to think about having fresh starts. Despite all the offseason hype, the Raiders are 0-3 and have the worst record in the league.
Former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson has been a staunch defender of Carr and he’s starting to believe that he needs to get away from Las Vegas.
“Maybe a change of scenery for whatever reason will help his career out,” Johnson said of Carr on ESPN’s “KJM.” “If he gets to the right place in the right system with the right team because that Raider mystique thing that hovers over that organization, he’s a part of and it makes it seem like he’s not a good quarterback and that’s not true at all”
Carr Would Never Ask for a Trade
Carr has had to deal with a lot more drama and turmoil than any other quarterback in the NFL that wasn’t self-inflicted. The Raiders are one of the proudest franchises in NFL history but have been among the worst franchises in sports for the past 20 years. Many quarterbacks would’ve tried to move on at this point but not Carr.
He’s been open and honest about how he won’t play for another team. He’s fiercely loyal to the silver and black. There is almost no way he’d request a trade no matter how bad things got. He’s also under contract through 2025 so he can’t walk in free agency for a while. Carr is ride or die with the Raiders and he’s likely being honest about the fact that he’d retire before playing for another team, especially now that Davante Adams is in Las Vegas.
Would Raiders Move on From Carr?
Though the Raiders signed Carr to a contract extension this past offseason, they do have an out at the end of this season if the quarterback remains healthy. According to Pro Football Talk, the team could cut him outright for a certain period after the year without suffering a loss. However, that scenario is incredibly unlikely as there would likely be a team out there that would be willing to trade him.
That said, the Raiders won’t be trading him. Yes, the team is off to a horrific start but it’s not all on Carr. He hasn’t played great but he also hasn’t been awful outside of Week 1 against the Chargers. The worst the team would do is draft his replacement and have him sit behind Carr for a couple of seasons. Head coach Josh McDaniels likes Carr but there have been some growing pains. That doesn’t mean the partnership is doomed quite yet. Now, if things just get worse and worse as the season goes on, there will be tough conversations without a doubt but there are still a lot of games left to be played this season.
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Ex-NFL WR Urges Raiders’ Derek Carr to Seek Fresh Start With New Team