3 Reasons Raiders are smart to shut down Derek Carr rumors

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Jan 2, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) during pregame warmups against the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

2. McDaniels and the Raiders are avoiding unnecessary distractions

With the Combine’s festivities now in full swing, McDaniels took to the media in his turn. Along with heaping praise on Josh Jacobs and addressing Alex Leatherwood, McDaniels was sure to do the same for Carr. When speaking to the NFL Network, McDaniels stated, “I’m excited that we have a veteran leader on our football team that knows how to play the position that’s won a lot of big games. I am excited to see what we can do together.”

However, when it came to actual business, McDaniels was transparent and mentioned that there had been no extension talks with Carr yet. At the same time, he pointed out that while there’s been no negotiation, he didn’t rule out the possibility that things could change at any time.

More importantly, McDaniels appeared to be enthusiastic when he assured the media that Carr would be the starting signal-caller in Week 1. More than enthusiastic, McDaniels said he’s “excited” to see what they can accomplish together.

By making it clear that Carr will be there in Week 1, McDaniels nips any sort of conjecture regarding a trade, free agency, or possibly the draft. Take a look at what Jerry Jones did recently regarding Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.

Imagine if McDaniels had said something along the lines of, “Hey look, Derek is a good quarterback, but at some point, he won’t be the Raiders quarterback anymore.” While he is not a stoic like Belichick, McDaniels seems to be handling everything correctly so far.

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