HENDERSON Nev. — Las Vegas RaidersThe final possession of their first playoff appearance for five years in the last game was a microcosmof quarterback Derek Carr‘s eight-year career.
That’s a lot to take in, and it takes a lot of time. Exactly.
It’s easy to lose yourself in the numbers when trying to dissect the most polarizing player of franchise history. His fans love him, his detractors hate him. And what the future holds for the Raiders.
On the one hand, there are the record-breaking 4,804 passing yards, the NFL-record six game-winning drives, and the many built-in reasons why the deck is against him. From a poor offensive line to the pathetic receiver, he’s the No. seemingly never-ending off-the-field situationsIn 2021, the Raiders faced off against each other.
Carr is what he really is, a solid, top-half league QB who has lost 14 games more than he has won. The Raiders are aware of what they have after eight seasons of star-crossed seasons.
All of this raises the question: Jon Gruden was his biggest fan, and he is now a general manager. Mike Mayock firedAnd a new head coaching if Rich Bisaccia’s owner Mark Davis leaves, the Raiders will continue to have Carr as their coach, or do they part ways with Carr who is a legend in the sport?
Take into account: Carr enters the last year of the record-breaking five-year, $125million contract extension that he signed in summer 2017. Although rumors of another extension have circulated, nothing has been done.
The Raiders were able to pull the card that they wanted on one corner. Khalil MackIn 2018. They assumed that the former NFL Defensive Players of the Year would be playing on a $13million option. The team made him the highest-paid defense player in the league in 2019, and Mack refused to give up. Mack refused, held firm and the Raiders traded him to them. Chicago Bears.
Las Vegas could possibly take care of the Pro Bowl’s defensive end Maxx CrosbyBoth the receiver and sender Hunter RenfrowCarr could be allowed to play 2022 with extensions. His deal pays Carr more than $19.8 millions and there is no dead money. Carr also has a 35-million franchise tag for 2023. There is no long-term commitment.
Crazy talk? Are Quarterbacks against expiring contracts? Carr would find this insulting.
The franchise tag was first introduced in 1993. A quarterback has used a tag five times. Drew Brees played for the San Diego Chargers ($8.1 million) in 2005. Kirk CousinsWashington, 2016 and 2017, respectively ($19.9 and $23.9 Million). Dak PrescottThe following are the recommendations: Dallas Cowboys in 2020 ($31.l4 million), per ESPN Stats & Information.
Carr can be trusted. Remember that Carr said that he wasn’t in the NFL for money or other “worldly” reasons. He wants to win. He will not “eat dinner” with his team executives to make demands. He’d rather “let me be heard in another way.”
He stated that he would “probably give up football if I had the opportunity to play for somebody else.”
Carr, who was contemplating retiring from the ministry after his rookie season, stated that he did so in the last offseason.
He said, “I have been a Raider all my life.” “I will always root for one team, the Raiders. I just feel so strong that I don’t need the perfect situation to make it right.
“I’d prefer to go down with the boat, you know what i’m talking about, if it’s necessary.”
Raiders HQ was not pleased with this statement. You would think that Davis, the new GM, and whoever the coach will have a bargaining tool that isn’t at all offensive.
A new coach or GM may feel more at ease if they have a quarterback who is well-known, but they might also be looking to start over. Carr could be a desirable trade target for many teams, bringing valuable draft picks to a Raiders team that is more interested in rebuilding than reloading.
This brings us back the 26-19 loss in the playoffs to the Cincinnati BengalsThe Raiders were 1-for-5 within the red zone. They finished 27th in red-zone efficiency in the league this season. The hint of an ending was a microcosm Carr’s last few years, if not his entire tenure with the Raiders.
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Carr spiked the ball at the 9 with 30 seconds left and no timeouts. Bisaccia claimed that there was a communication issue at the time. Bisaccia stated that it would have been more beneficial to try and get the playoff.
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Carr fired into double coverage at the 9 for second-and-goal Zay JonesThe shallow end of the goal zone is in the middle. It was almost taken.
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Third-and-goal at 9: Carr had plenty of time and threw a pass towards Renfrow in left front corner. Renfrow fell, and the ball hit the turf.
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Fourth-and-goal at 9: Carr immediately returned to Jones and threw a fastball to Jones. Carr critics hate him for throwing the ball away when he is short of the endzone. He was intercepted. Germaine Pratt.
Ballgame. Season.
But, you only look at the statistics and wonder: What’s the problem?
Because while Carr became the first Raiders quarterback since Jim Plunkett on Jan. 8, 1983, to throw for at least 300 yards in a playoff game, Carr was 4-of-17 passing in the red zone, the second-most red zone incompletions in a game over the past 20 seasons, per ESPN Stats & Information.
Carr has been clutch in game situations, but the game-sealingINT was his ninth turnover in the 4th quarter or overtime this season. That includes the playoffs.
Carr’s polarizing nature is not surprising, but he is still perplexing.
Carr still spoke about the near future, even though he had lost.
He said, “I’ve been there before, after 2016 season,” as he reflected on missing the one-game playoff trip because of a broken right ankle.
“But I think that we came back arrogant and a little pompous. We didn’t work as hard, and we had arguably a more talented group then. Now, the drive is to ensure that this doesn’t happen. We got a small taste of it, which was a blessing in my heart. I thought I was on fire. I cannot not participate in the playoffs.”
But who?