Raiders Asked Derek Carr to Take Tom Brady-Esque Deal in Contract Negotiations

Las Vegas Raiders star Derek Carr was paid handsomely with an extension this offseason, and he still might have left some money on the table.

The MMQB's Albert Breer reported the Raiders approached Carr and asked him to take a somewhat smaller deal so that the front office could have a little more flexibility with the rest of the roster.

Las Vegas used Tom Brady as an example, with head coach Josh McDaniels telling Breer the team "may have touched on it briefly":

"And that’s an example—it’s kind of a unicorn, I know that—but it’s also a good example of what can happen when that player at that position chooses to do something that helps the team. There’s not a straight line there between what Tom’s done with his situation and winning championships. But I’m sure it didn’t hurt. The reality is, it’s not a complicated conversation. The more you give to one person, the less you can give to others."

Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, but he was never paid like it with the New England Patriots. His annual earnings didn't eclipse $20 million until 2019, his final year with the team.

Perhaps the Patriots' dynasty still would've happened if Brady was receiving a market-level salary. The cost savings he provided certainly made it easier for Bill Belichick to assemble a roster that could deliver results each and every year.

As much as McDaniels alluded to Carr's sacrifice, though, the three-time Pro Bowler didn't exactly get low-balled by the Raiders. His three-year, $121.5 million extension makes him the fifth highest-paid player in the league.

McDaniels also mentioned how Davante Adams "probably took less, too," which would be surprising considering his five-year, $140 million contract was record-setting for a wide receiver.

Between re-signing their own players and bringing in new acquisitions, the Raiders have committed an NFL-high $457.4 million this offseason, per Spotrac.

The organization clearly wants to improve upon an exit in the AFC Wild Card Round last year, and the pair of McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler see Carr as a tone-setter on the field and in the locker room.