Derek Carr's 2016 campaign is forever etched into the memory of Raider Nation. Finally, after over a decade of waiting, the team felt that they had found their franchise quarterback, one that loved the Silver and Black and would be around for the long haul.
Unfortunately, that turned out to not be the case. In the six years that followed, Carr's production took a steep decline, as did his approval both in the building and within the fan base. He became one of the most polarizing players in franchise history and his tenure with the Raiders ended unceremoniously.
Although Carr did immediately find his footing with another NFL team after leaving Las Vegas, his time with the New Orleans Saints has been incredibly rocky as well. In fact, the recent developments surrounding Carr ahead of the NFL Draft should feel quite familiar for Raiders fans.
Recent Derek Carr news confirms what many Raiders fans already knew
Last week, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Derek Carr was dealing with an unspecified shoulder injury that may sideline him for the entire season. The timing of the announcement was perceived as a bit odd, and fans could not even decipher which shoulder he had hurt.
Earlier this week, however, The Athletic's Diana Russini spoke on an episode of "Scoop City" and said blatantly that the reports were, "fishy." She went on to infer that Carr's camp had deliberately leaked the information because he is unhappy with his standing in New Orleans as a potential bridge for the franchise as they develop a young quarterback.
Despite the Saints reworking Carr's contract this offseason to appease him, their targeting of another young signal-caller in the draft was too much for the veteran to stomach. By leaking the information, Carr's camp achieved its goal by spoiling New Orleans' draft plans to the rest of the league, therefore putting pressure on the franchise to trade him.
Related: Latest Derek Carr update could give Raiders a lucrative draft night decision
When the Raiders welcomed Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler as their new head coach and general manager in 2022, one of the first things that they did was restructure Carr's contract and give him a no-trade clause. That came back to bite them when they tipped their hand about his future by benching him for the final two weeks of the season.
Instead of doing what many considered to be the noble thing and signing off on a trade so that the Raiders could receive compensation for the veteran quarterback, Carr essentially vanished. He stopped coming to the team facility for the final part of the season and did not communicate with the franchise, forcing them to cut him.
Given this behavior, it is no surprise that Carr is making similar moves once again that put his franchise in peril as they attempt to transition to a new era. While it is understandable to look out for your own interests, after his departure, many in Raider Nation were left with the feeling that that was all Carr cared about.
While he is not the Raiders' problem anymore, both the franchise and the fan base should feel vindicated that their inability to end things peacefully with Derek Carr was not their fault.