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Raiders Rumors: Derek Carr Agrees to 3-Year, $121.5M Contract Extension
April 13, 2022
The Las Vegas Raiders are staying the course.
The team and quarterback Derek Carr have agreed to a three-year, $121.5 million contract that ties him to Las Vegas through 2025, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday.
Carr, 30, looked like a future star after excellent seasons in 2015 and 2016. He was a potential MVP candidate in 2016 before a broken leg in December of that season ended his campaign.
The Raiders made the playoffs that year but missed out on the postseason in the four seasons that followed. Carr often didn't resemble his former self, and with a lack of weapons in 2018, he threw for 4,049 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, completing 68.9 percent of his passes. His touchdowns were a career low, and his 73.2 grade at Pro Football Focus ranked just 21st among quarterbacks.
But he was better in 2019, throwing for 4,054 yards, 21 scores and eight interceptions, completing 70.4 percent of his passes. His former head coach, Jon Gruden, offered him a vote of confidence in February 2020.
"I really think Derek is a heck of a player and I got a lot of respect for what he has done with some tough circumstances," he told reporters. "So I'm not going to answer every media rumor out there. I just can't do it. I'm just going to listen to my Sirius Rock n' Roll classic vinyl [station] and keep working. But I love what Carr did, love what he brings to our team and anxious to continue to build around him."
Carr finished the 2020 season with 4,103 yards, 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions, arguably his best season since 2016. That performance wasn't good enough to lead the Raiders to the postseason, but he ended the drought in 2021 by guiding the team to a 10-7 record.
Carr threw for 4,804 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while completing 68.4 percent of his passes in a season that saw the team experience significant turmoil. Gruden resigned over the release of offensive emails he sent prior to taking over as Raiders head coach for the second time in 2018. Receiver Henry Ruggs III, one of the team's 2020 first-round picks, was released after he was charged with DUI resulting in the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor.
The team came up short in the Wild Card Round against the Cincinnati Bengals, but Carr's performance was a big reason they made it to the postseason.
Carr offers the Raiders and new head coach Josh McDaniels experience and a solid if unspectacular resume. If he maintains his level of play from the past two seasons, his extension will look very smart for the Raiders.
After an offseason trade for Davante Adams, his former college teammate, he'll have one of the best weapons in the NFL to throw to this season. Staying the course always made sense for both Carr and Las Vegas.