Raiders GM Mike Mayock 'happy' with Derek Carr, but 'if we can get better, we will'
Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock says he’s happy with Derek Carr.
But he’s not ruling out moving to the desert without him.
With the Raiders linked to rumors over courting Tom Brady for their Las Vegas debut, Mayock faced questions about the team’s quarterback status on Tuesday while at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
He responded with praise for Carr.
‘I’m very happy with Derek Carr’
“The bottom line is this, I think everybody needs to understand at what level Derek Carr played last year, OK?" Mayock said, per NBC Sports Bay Area. "The guy completed 70 percent of his passes. He had almost a 3-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio. ...
“Derek Carr played at a high level. I'm very happy with Derek Carr.”
He then went on to explain why Carr’s job is not safe.
‘If we can get better, we will’
“What I've told everybody I've been in touch with since the day I took this job is we're going to evaluate every position, every year,” Mayock continued. “And if we can get better, we will. Guys get tired of me saying that, but that's really what I told Mark Davis before I took the job and that's my mantra.”
Basically, Mayock is looking to have it both ways. Praise Carr in the media while keeping the door open publicly to get “better.”
Brady vs. Carr
Would Brady be an upgrade over Carr? Statistically, no.
Brady completed 60.8 percent of his passes last season for 4,057 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions while averaging 6.8 yards per attempt.
Carr completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 4,054 yards, 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions on 7.9 yards per attempt. His 100.8 quarterback rating was considerably higher than Brady’s 88.0.
At 42 years old with his deep ball showing significant signs of regression, there’s no reason to believe Brady will be any better next season.
But in terms of ticket sales for a flashy new stadium off the Las Vegas strip? Yeah. Brady’s an upgrade.
Carr’s under contract until 2022, but the bulk of the guaranteed money on his five-year, $125 million deal has been paid out. The Raiders could move on from Carr with minimal financial and salary cap consequences if they choose.
As “happy” as Mayock is with his quarterback, he’s not slamming the door shut on doing so.
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