Derek Carr on Contract Extension: “I’m a Raider for life”
On a recent appearance on a radio show, Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was asked about his future contract extension, and says he is a Raider for life.
Oakland Raiders franchise quarterback Derek Carr recently made an appearance on Mad Dog Sports Radio on Sirius XM, hosted by Adam Schein. When asked about his future contract extension, Carr made his loyalty to the team that drafted him perfectly clear.
"“I’m a Raider. I’m a Raider for life. I don’t want to play anywhere else,” Carr told Sirius XM Mad Dog Radio’s Adam Schein. “When I got drafted, this is where I wanted to be anyway. And so, I don’t want to go anywhere, ever. They told me they don’t want me to go anywhere, ever. … Now it’s about two people who want to be together, and how do we make that happen? So we’ll see.”"
“I’m a Raider for life” is certainly a statement that will register loud and clear with Raider Nation, and will only further the love and enthusiasm that the fan base has for their franchise quarterback.
With Carr expected to receive a contract that will be on par with Andrew Luck — somewhere in the neighborhood of $24 million annually — that obviously will be the first step in making that “for life” statement hold true.
McKenzie told CSN Bay Area back in January that extending Carr and Khalil Mack were priorities.
"“You can say that,” McKenzie said last week. “The good thing is we do have time, but I’m not the type to wait until the last minute. Those two guys are not only great players but they are great men. They are true Raiders and I want to make sure we do the best that we can to make sure that they stay Raiders.”"
Carr said that his agent, Tom Younger, and the team are working on a deal. But that he just wants it to be done and to not be a distraction:
"“The biggest thing for me is that I don’t want it to distract my teammates. They know me, that I really don’t care. I just like to play ball, but I don’t want people asking them questions. I would want it done so they don’t have to deal with it, but I’m always going to do what’s best for my family and what’s best for the team all in one.”"
Carr has been asked about the possibility of taking a “hometown discount” in the past, and somewhat alluded to that in the final sentence of the above quote, when he said he is always going to do what’s best for his family. It’s unreasonable for a player about to enter his prime, especially a quarterback, to take a discount, so don’t expect Carr to. Nor should he.
If he signs a new deal somewhere in the range of 6-years, $140M, he’ll deserve every penny of that. And it’ll be up to McKenzie to continue to find ways to keep the team competitive.
Next: Raiders Ultimate Offseason Primer
The full interview with Mad Dog Radio can be heard by clicking here, and is well worth the 20 minutes.