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Report: Derek Carr Isn't Part of Raiders' Future; QB's Relationships 'Fractured'
October 23, 2018
The Oakland Raiders and quarterback Derek Carr reportedly may be heading toward a split.
According to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic, Carr has a "fractured relationship" with his teammates, and "confidence in him has waned."
The issue was compounded in the Raiders loss to the Seahawks in Week 6, when game tape “showed what looked like him crying after being sacked and injuring his arm,” per Thompson.
Thompson added that "whispers" around the organization suggest Carr is no longer considered the team's quarterback of the future.
Carr responded directly to the report on Twitter after his brother, Darren Carr, defended him and also had a message for fans:
Derek Carr @derekcarrqb@DCarr75 @ProFootballTalk Don’t even waste your time with this big bro. On the ground I yelled get me up get me. Then I got to the sideline and yelled again. Not one tear. Not one time. There is the Truth. People will click on it because it sounds crazy. But stop playing with me.
Derek Carr @derekcarrqbI’m a Raider. It’s not a “popular” thing to be a Raider right now, but I am and I love it. I love the struggle of trying to fight back for our city when not a lot of people believe in us. People can try all they want to tear us apart, but it’s not happening to the real ones. 💀
The Raiders have already moved two of their biggest stars over the past two months, as they dealt defensive end Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears on Sept. 1 and then traded wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2019 first-round pick on Monday.
Thompson noted Carr has "few supporters" remaining, and the writer referenced a recent on-field occurrence as a potential reason for that. Carr appeared to cry after getting sacked during a 27-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week, and Thompson theorized it may have rubbed his teammates the wrong way.
Perhaps most importantly, though, the quarterback isn't producing to the level he did in previous years.
In addition to owning a 1-5 record this season, Carr has thrown for 1,783 yards with just seven touchdowns and eight interceptions.
He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of the previous three seasons, and he looked like he was developing into a superstar.
After the 2014 second-round pick threw 32 touchdown passes in 2015, he led Oakland to the playoffs in 2016 and finished with 28 touchdowns and a career-low six interceptions in 15 games.
Because of the quarterback's impressive body of work, Oakland signed Carr to a five-year, $125 million contract extension last year.
Head coach Jon Gruden wasn't part of that decision, and he has shown he isn't shy about shaking things up.
Despite Carr's struggles, the Raiders likely won't have a hard time finding a trade suitor if they decide to move on, since teams are always in search of quality quarterbacks.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have a Super Bowl-caliber defense, but considering signal-caller Blake Bortles' scuffles, perhaps the Jags would offer Oakland an enticing trade package for Carr.