Derek Carr

The Las Vegas Raiders are staying the course.

The team and quarterback Derek Carr have agreed to a three-year, $121.5 million contract that ties him to Las Vegas through 2025, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday.

Carr, 30, looked like a future star after excellent seasons in 2015 and 2016. He was a potential MVP candidate in 2016 before a broken leg in December of that season ended his campaign.

The Raiders made the playoffs that year but missed out on the postseason in the four seasons that followed. Carr often didn't resemble his former self, and with a lack of weapons in 2018, he threw for 4,049 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, completing 68.9 percent of his passes. His touchdowns were a career low, and his 73.2 grade at Pro Football Focus ranked just 21st among quarterbacks.

But he was better in 2019, throwing for 4,054 yards, 21 scores and eight interceptions, completing 70.4 percent of his passes. His former head coach, Jon Gruden, offered him a vote of confidence in February 2020.

"I really think Derek is a heck of a player and I got a lot of respect for what he has done with some tough circumstances," he told reporters. "So I'm not going to answer every media rumor out there. I just can't do it. I'm just going to listen to my Sirius Rock n' Roll classic vinyl [station] and keep working. But I love what Carr did, love what he brings to our team and anxious to continue to build around him."

Carr finished the 2020 season with 4,103 yards, 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions, arguably his best season since 2016. That performance wasn't good enough to lead the Raiders to the postseason, but he ended the drought in 2021 by guiding the team to a 10-7 record.

Carr threw for 4,804 yards, 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while completing 68.4 percent of his passes in a season that saw the team experience significant turmoil. Gruden resigned over the release of offensive emails he sent prior to taking over as Raiders head coach for the second time in 2018. Receiver Henry Ruggs III, one of the team's 2020 first-round picks, was released after he was charged with DUI resulting in the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor. 

The team came up short in the Wild Card Round against the Cincinnati Bengals, but Carr's performance was a big reason they made it to the postseason.

Carr offers the Raiders and new head coach Josh McDaniels experience and a solid if unspectacular resume. If he maintains his level of play from the past two seasons, his extension will look very smart for the Raiders.

After an offseason trade for Davante Adams, his former college teammate, he'll have one of the best weapons in the NFL to throw to this season. Staying the course always made sense for both Carr and Las Vegas. 

The Las Vegas Raiders joined the AFC West battle of riches with a blockbuster trade that will reunite former Fresno State teammates Derek Carr and Davante Adams. Though we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves with playoff predictions after ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news, the Silver and Black have a duo that can lead the team to a Super Bowl.

Some football purists will continue to say, "defense wins championships," but teams don't need the Steel Curtain to reach the title game. In the modern league, a squad with a potent offense can get the job done—just look at the two clubs in Super Bowl 56.

The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals finished the regular season with top-eight scoring offenses and scoring defenses that ranked 15th and 17th, respectively.

Offensively, Adams will draw a ton of attention and double-teams, which will open up space for Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller, who had back-to-back 1,145-plus-yard seasons between 2019 and 2020, and Hunter Renfrow, an ascending receiver coming off a strong campaign with 103 receptions for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. 

With Carr's accurate arm (65 percent career completion rate) and his perimeter weapons, running backs Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake will see lighter boxes on the ground. If Vegas doesn't do enough to fix the offensive line, head coach Josh McDaniels can use the short passing game to offset some of the pass-blocking issues. 

Speaking of the Raiders offensive line, the unit needs a makeover after Alex Leatherwood showed little signs of promise at right tackle and right guard. Vegas should also find an upgrade for left guard John Simpson, who allowed three sacks and committed 10 penalties in 2021, per Pro Football Focus.

Nevertheless, the Raiders offensive line isn't the Achilles' heel that will sink their chance at a Super Bowl appearance. 

At 10-7, Vegas clinched a playoff spot with an offensive line that featured four new starters for the 2021 season. For comparison, the Bengals, with their poor offensive line, contributed to quarterback Joe Burrow taking 70 sacks (third-most in NFL history) between the regular season and the playoffs. Yet, he still helped lead his team to the Super Bowl.

The new Carr-Adams connection doesn't erase all ills, but it allows the Raiders to compete with the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos—who acquired quarterback Russell Wilson via trade—in scoring shootouts while making it tougher for pass defenses. 

With arguably the league's best receiver in the fold, expect the Raiders to target offensive linemen who can slow down pass-rushers within the division such as Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Chris Jones, Frank Clark, Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory, giving Carr, who has a quick release, just enough time to get the ball out to his top playmaker. 

On the open market, Vegas can take a look at La'el Collins, Daryl Williams and Billy Turner as potential options to fill a void at right tackle. Also, a playoff-caliber squad with the added draw of a high-level quarterback-receiver tandem can garner interest from quality veterans who would take modest deals to play for a team with some buzz.

Keep in mind, a couple of weeks ago, McDaniels said team brass hadn't started negotiations with Carr's camp about an extension, which may cost the club $40 million per year beyond 2022, per Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore. The front office may want to fill holes before it hammers out a massive deal for the 30-year-old quarterback. With linebacker Cory Littleton and Carl Nassib earmarked as post-June 1 cuts, Vegas will have an additional $20 million to invest in Carr's new deal late in the spring.

Though the Raiders will need to spend responsibly with Adams on a new five-year, $141.3 million contract, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, general manager Dave Ziegler doesn't face an impossible task as we've seen with the Rams, who have routinely manipulated the salary cap to acquire big-time players.

Coming off of a successful title run, the Rams signed wideout Allen Robinson II to a three-year, $46.5 million contract (h/t NFL Network's Tom Pelissero) on the day after losing edge-rusher Von Miller to the Buffalo Bills in free agency, which shows the importance of fielding a high-level offense in the modern game. By the way, Los Angeles had about $2 million in cap space.

In analyzing the roster makeup and spending strategy of the Rams and Bengals, we shouldn't point to a shaky offensive line or limited cap flexibility as reasons to exclude the Raiders from the Super Bowl discussion next season. 

Defensively, Vegas must add a couple of defensive linemen in addition to Bilal Nichols, but they have a strong pass rush that can apply consistent quarterback pressure and close games. 

Before the trade for Adams, the Raiders signed Chandler Jones, who's recorded double-digit sacks in six of the last seven seasons. He'll pair up with Pro Bowl pass-rusher and 2021 second-team All-Pro Maxx Crosby to form a dynamic edge-rushing duo.

If Jones and Crosby get to the quarterback, the Raiders defensive backs won't have to cover receivers for extended periods. Trayvon Mullen, Anthony Averett, Rock Ya-Sin and Nate Hobbs won't strike anyone as top-notch cornerbacks, but they're all capable of feeding off a defense that's built around a viable pass rush.

Even with the question marks across the offensive line and the transition from former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to Patrick Graham, the Raiders have hit big in two key areas that mirror exactly what we just saw in the last two Super Bowl contenders.

Along with the pass-rushers to clamp down on opposing offenses, think about the Carr-Adams connection in the same light as Matthew Stafford throwing to 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp or Joe Burrow re-establishing a bond with his former LSU teammate in 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja'Marr Chase.

Before the Raiders sent shockwaves across the league with the move for Adams, they already had a high-level quarterback in Carr who's hovering in the top-10-12 range at his position. Now, with an elite receiver, he'll likely have a spike in efficiency and production. 

At 29 years old, in his prime, Adams has racked up 1,374 receiving yards or more in three of the last four seasons and led the league in touchdown receptions (18) for the 2020 season. Without him, the Raiders finished with the sixth-ranked passing attack despite a subpar offensive line and losing Waller late in the season. The team also waived Henry Ruggs III, its best deep threat, midway through the season after he was charged with four felonies for a car crash that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor.

Now, the Raiders add a star receiver who has a ready-made rapport with Carr and the ability to soundly beat defenders off the line of scrimmage with savvy releases and a catch rate above 72 percent over the last two seasons.   

We often think of the quarterback as the primary player to elevate his teammates, and that still holds true for the Raiders. Michael Crabtree, Jared Cook and Waller have had some of their best seasons playing with Carr. Renfrow made a huge leap between his second and third campaigns. 

So we should expect a stellar joint performance when Carr reconnects with Adams, who's an elite talent in his own right, which spells trouble for not only the AFC West but the rest of the league.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.

Multiple teams have expressed interest in trading for Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Carr is entering the final year of a five-year, $125 million contract extension, so he's currently set to become a free agent in 2023.

Of course, it takes at least two teams to make a trade, and the Raiders reportedly appeared ready and willing to stick with Carr beyond 2022, per a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on Feb. 13: "Sources say the Raiders are moving forward with Carr at QB and prepared to discuss a contract extension that would keep him in Las Vegas for the foreseeable future."

The Raiders are under a new regime led by general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels, both of whom came over from the New England Patriots.

Rapoport said Carr's top choice for the team's next coach was McDaniels, who most recently served as the Pats' offensive coordinator for a decade. Therefore, it seems both sides are looking to move forward and seeing how this new partnership works out.

Ultimately, it doesn't appear likely that the Raiders would actually deal Carr, even if there's interest from multiple teams.

The 30-year-old Carr just enjoyed a good season for the Silver and Black, which won 10 games and made the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Carr completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 23 touchdowns (14 interceptions) and 7.7 yards per attempt. He finished 14th in QBR and quarterback rating among league qualifiers, per Pro Football Reference.

There are numerous quarterback-needy teams out there, or at least ones that don't appear to have a cemented long-term solution at signal-caller. Still, Vegas' best bet is to re-sign Carr, build around him under this new regime and see where this core can go after a postseason berth.

Any extension for Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr would reportedly fall in the $40 million-per-season range.

Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal provided the report on the 30-year-old Carr, who has one season left on a five-year, $125.025 million contract extension.

"As it relates to Derek Carr and the Raiders, the sense is no proposals have been exchanged yet on an extension," Bonsignore tweeted.

"You'll see various numbers being thrown around, but, as I've been reporting, any extension would likely be in the $40m per season range."

Carr just led the Raiders to their first playoff appearance since 2016. The three-time Pro Bowler completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 23 touchdowns (14 interceptions) and 7.7 yards per attempt.

Reporter Jordan Schultz tweeted earlier Tuesday that Carr was seeking $35 million-plus per season. He also said both sides were open to a short-term extension.

The Raiders have the option to give Carr the franchise tag, but Schultz tweeted that the expectation is for "things to move rather quickly in the near future" regarding a short-term extension.

Las Vegas is under new leadership in 2022 with the addition of general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels, who arrived as a tag team from the New England Patriots.

It appears this duo will put its faith in Carr, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network on Sunday.

"Sources say the Raiders are moving forward with Carr at QB and prepared to discuss a contract extension that would keep him in Las Vegas for the foreseeable future."

Rapoport also said that Carr's No. 1 head coach choice was McDaniels, so it appears everyone is getting off on the right foot in Vegas.

The Las Vegas Raiders and quarterback Derek Carr are reportedly set to hold discussions regarding a contract extension.

According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, the Raiders have decided to move forward with Carr as their starting quarterback following the hiring of Josh McDaniels as head coach and Dave Ziegler as general manager.

As of now, Carr is set to enter the final year of his contract in 2022, and he will earn just under $20 million.

Rapoport noted that in addition to Carr getting his wish of McDaniels being brought on board, both McDaniels and Ziegler are longtime admirers of Carr.

During their time as the New England Patriots offensive coordinator and director of player personnel, respectively, McDaniels and Ziegler reportedly had an "affection" for Carr that made them consider trading for him.

Now, Carr, McDaniels and Ziegler are all together in Las Vegas, and all signs point toward that continuing to be the case in the years to come.

The 30-year-old Carr is an eight-year NFL veteran, and he has been the Raiders starter under center ever since his rookie year in 2014.

While Carr has never been considered an elite quarterback, he has always been solid and played a role in keeping the Raiders in playoff contention for much of his career.

Carr led the Raiders to the playoffs in 2016, but a late-season injury prevented him from playing. He finally got his first taste of postseason action in 2021 after helping the Raiders go 10-7.

The former Fresno State standout completed 68.4 percent of his passes for a career-high 4,804 yards as well as 23 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Carr and the Raiders fell short in the AFC Wild Card Round against the eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals as he threw for 310 yards, one touchdown and one pick in a narrow 26-19 defeat.

Given what McDaniels accomplished in his 13 seasons as the Patriots offensive coordinator, primarily with Tom Brady as his quarterback, Carr finds himself in an ideal position.

McDaniels was able to get a lot out of a rookie quarterback in Mac Jones this season, as New England reached the playoffs with him at the controls, so he should be able to accomplish even more with a veteran like Carr at his disposal.

The Las Vegas Raiders won 10 games in 2021 and made the postseason for the first time since 2016, but that wasn't enough to save the job of general manager Mike Mayock or earn interim head coach Rich Bisaccia the full-time gig. Instead, the Raiders have decided to try out The Patriot Way.

On Sunday, the Raiders announced that they hired New England Patriots director of player personnel Dave Ziegler as Mayock's replacement. Meanwhile, they are hiring longtime Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as their next head coach, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

On one hand, McDaniels is a well-respected offensive mind with head coaching experience who played a role in all six of New England's Super Bowl wins. On the other hand, McDaniels' tenure as head coach of the Denver Broncos was mostly a disaster, and calling his hiring-that-wasn't as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts a debacle doesn't do it justice.

If things work out, this hire could mean big things for Derek Carr and the Raiders offense, which struggled to produce consistently in recent seasons. But given McDaniels' past, this is also a risky move that could just as easily blow up in the Raiders' face.

There's little question that McDaniels is one of the more well-respected young offensive coaches in the league. After Charlie Weis left the Pats following the 2004 season, McDaniels became the team's de facto offensive coordinator before officially earning the title the following season.

After the Patriots missed the Super Bowl for two straight seasons (gasp), McDaniels coordinated their offense during their undefeated 2007 regular season. That New England team sported one of the most prolific offenses of all time, averaging more than 411 yards and almost 37 points per game.

McDaniels' finest work arguably came the following season. With Tom Brady on the shelf with a torn ACL, his Matt Cassel-led offense finished fifth in the NFL in total yards and eighth in points. It was McDaniels at his absolute best: crafting an offense around what his players do best rather than stubbornly cramming square pegs into round holes in the interest of running "his" scheme.

In November, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick compared McDaniels' approach to Alabama head coach Nick Saban while speaking with reporters:

"It's kind of like Saban when we were in Cleveland. Nick knew what every player on the field was doing. He knew what the guard keys were. He knew what the running back was keying. He knew what the nose guard was doing. He knew what everybody on the field was doing.

"Josh is kind of the same way. He knows what all 11 guys are doing on offense, what their keys are, what their adjustments are and all that. And he knows defensively how the guy is taught to play certain blocks or routes or reads and how to attack them."

McDaniels appears to be enamored with Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, too. 

"For McDaniels, he now inherits a quarterback in Derek Carr that he has always liked," Rapoport said on NFL GameDay. "In fact, the Patriots considered trying to trade for Carr before the season. Now, McDaniels and Ziegler get him."

McDaniels has a quarterback he reportedly likes. A quality running back in Josh Jacobs. One of the league's most dangerous tight ends in Darren Waller. And an excellent slot receiver in Hunter Renfrow.

The Raiders need help on the outside at wideout. And they need to improve an offensive line that Pro Football Focus ranked 28th leaguewide this season. But the cupboard McDaniels is inheriting is hardly bare.

That's the good news. Now comes the bad news.

Long story short, McDaniels' first stint as a head coach in the NFL was a hot mess. His Broncos opened the 2009 season by peeling off six straight wins, but they lost eight of their final 10 games and missed the postseason.

McDaniels clashed with some veteran players in Denver from the get-go. Although quarterback Jay Cutler made the Pro Bowl in 2008, McDaniels wanted no part of him. A potential three-team deal that would have landed Cassel in Denver wrecked the relationship, and the Broncos eventually dealt Cutler to Chicago for Kyle "Really?" Orton and a package of picks.

By the final month of the 2010 season, the losses were piling up, both on the field and in the locker room. The Broncos and McDaniels were each fined by the league for illegally taping a practice session by the San Francisco 49ers in London. In early December, with the Broncos at 3-9 and McDaniels 12-16 as the team's head coach, he was fired.

And as bad as that was, things got that much worse in 2018.

It took a while, but another NFL team finally decided to give McDaniels a shot. On Feb. 6, 2018, the Indianapolis Colts announced McDaniels as their new head coach.

The two sides agreed to terms. The Colts scheduled an introductory press conference. Assistants left their teams to join McDaniels in Indy. All that was left was putting pen to paper.

And then McDaniels backed out of the job.

In December, McDaniels insisted that he has no regrets about how he handled things in 2018:

"I think every year, I have tried to learn and grow as a coach and as a person. You make decisions in life and in your career that you feel like are the best decisions for you and your family, which is certainly what happened then. You move forward and you do everything you can within your power to make those decisions the right ones. That's what I've tried to do every day. I certainly have no regrets about what has transpired since then."

McDaniels might not regret it, but it was a terrible look. As a result, Raiders players might question the commitment of their new head coach before he ever sets foot in the door. They could question whether his loyalties lie primarily with the Raiders or with himself.

Meanwhile, some Raiders players are "disappointed" that the wildly popular Bisaccia wasn't given the opportunity to continue on without the "interim" tag.

Maybe McDaniels has learned from the mistakes he made in Denver and Indianapolis. He has certainly shown the ability to craft a potent offense. Maybe he'll assemble a quality staff, delegate where appropriate and make the most of this next (and perhaps last) chance to be a head coach. He also presumably doesn't have the level of personnel control in Vegas that he did in Denver.

But this feels an awful lot like yet another team trying to duplicate that which cannot be duplicated: New England's two decades of dominance over the AFC.

And that hasn't come close to working yet.