Raiders make big investment in Derek Carr, but what does the future hold?
NFL contracts are rarely cut-and-dried. There are always bonuses or escalators or dates that mean something more.
That’s happening for the Oakland Raiders’ Derek Carr on Wednesday.
2019 base salary fully guaranteed
As noted by ESPN’s Field Yates, Carr’s 2019 base salary of $19.9 million becomes fully guaranteed on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. His only other money for the coming year is a $100,000 workout bonus, usually tied to his participation in the team’s offseason workout program.
Carr signed a five-year, $125 million extension in June 2017. Because of the proration of his signing bonus, he will count $22.5 million against Oakland’s salary cap.
Money guaranteed, but is job?
Carr’s money will be guaranteed, but is his job? There have been rumors for months that after Jon Gruden traded Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper, Carr could follow. In the past, Gruden has favored older quarterbacks (three of his four playoff teams were led by Rich Gannon, Brad Johnson and Jeff Garcia, all mid-30s at the time), and Carr doesn’t fit that profile.
While it’s not at all unique, the relationship between Gruden and Carr also seemed rocky toward the end of the season.
The Raiders already have three first-round picks in the coming draft after the Mack and Cooper trades. It’s hard to know which teams, if any, would be interested in acquiring Carr, a three-time Pro Bowler.
If Oakland were to cut Carr, there would be just $7.5 million in dead money against the cap.
The team could, of course, keep him. Carr didn’t have his best season in 2018, but the line in front of him wasn’t good (he was sacked 51 times) and the majority of the Raiders’ offensive skill players are average. In other words, he’s not their biggest problem.
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