Settle Down: Raiders QB Carr Will Soon Agree To Monster Deal
I’ve noticed people freaking out that beloved Raiders franchise QB Derek Carr has yet to be paid and could enter this season playing out the final year on his rookie deal.
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And if he does? So what? It. Will. Get. Done.
Some accuse GM Reggie McKenzie of being a little to frugal in his spending sometime (especially when it comes to MLB’s) but usually there is a method to his madness. This year in free agency he dipped his toes lightly into the free agent pool, partly because he is building his roster through the draft (which as we all know is how you build dynasties in the NFL) and also because he knows who’s about to get PAID.
McKenzie is no dummy. He knows Carr will command somewhere near what Andrew Luck’s salary or may even want to exceed it. Luck is the highest paid player in the league right now and Carr knows his worth. And after watching the Raiders play the last two games of the season last year without him its clear he’s invaluable to the franchise as a player, a leader and a role model for kids to look up to. You don’t just throw that away and start from scratch and hand the keys to Connor Cook.
Speaking of Carr’s worth, some folks want to criticize him for not taking the first deal in front of him. Please. This is a negotiation. He’s got a number in mind and you know McKenzie has a number in mind. The key is to come to a happy medium for both parties. If you had the option to hold out for more money at your job and you KNEW they needed you, would you do it? I know I would. I have loyalty like anyone, but I also want to see that compensated. Any sane person would. That’s all Carr wants. He’s on a bargain rookie deal and he and his agent know it. That won’t be the case any longer and everyone should be happy for him and his family when he does sign.
Furthermore, when did the Raiders employed a true franchise QB in recent times? Someone they drafted, played and took his lumps, but ultimately led the team to glory?
You’d have to go back to Kenny “The Snake” Stabler in the freaking 70s. Jim Plunkett was an afterthought in the league when the Raiders snagged him. Jeff Hostetler, steady yet unspectacular coming from the Giants. In addition, Rich Gannon earned an MVP and almost won a Super Bowl in 2002. From 2003-2013 the QB carousel for Oakland was very comparable to the Browns. Andrew Walter, Rick Mirer, Jamarcus Russell, Bruce Gradkowski, Matt Flynn, Charlie Frye… you get the point. Who wants to go back to that?
I sure as hell don’t. And neither does McKenzie. And he knows the fans won’t tolerate that either. The fans suffered through a horrendous stretch of football and will hopefully see a reward for their loyalty soon enough. But, without Carr that reward will likely not happen, certainly not for the fans in the city of Oakland.
No matter, the deal will get done. So please, chill out.
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