Derek Carr has no plans to extend the Feb. 15 deadline in his contract that triggers $40.4 million in future guaranteed money to help facilitate a trade from Las Vegas.
"I don't think that would be best for me," Carr said Thursday from the Pro Bowl Games, via the Associated Press.
The Feb. 15 deadline marks the date in which $40.4 million in injury guarantees become fully guaranteed. Having the date a month before the New League Year -- and free agency -- opens puts the onus on the Raiders to make a decision.
Can they agree to a trade before the deadline? Do they cut Carr before the deadline to avoid those guarantees? Do they allow the date to pass in hopes of figuring it out down the road?
Each path has its drawbacks.
As the deadline nears, the time crunch makes any trade more difficult. Carr, who owns a no-trade clause, confirmed that Vegas has not allowed the QB's representatives permission to speak to other clubs -- presuming any trade partner would want to adjust his contract, that'll be a necessary step at some point. Carr could also simply reject all trades in an attempt to force his way to free agency. Given that any trade agreement can't be consummated until March 15, the Raiders would also have to trust any partner wouldn't renege on the pact. That's one key reason Carr not extending the trigger date is critical.
Cutting Carr avoids the big guarantees but also means Vegas would get nothing in return for the QB leaving.
Squatting on his rights in an attempt to see what shakes out down the road is a $40 million gamble of his own.
Carr told NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe that he's still going through all the scenarios.
"I'm just being patient," he said. "I'm going to do what's best for myself. I'm going to do what's best for my family. And (I) don't care what the optics are or anything like that. I can pick this or do that, it's kind of fun to be able to do whatever you want for once."
In the moment, he's just enjoying being at the Pro Bowl in Las Vegas, where he was on fire Thursday night.
"We've got choices, decisions to make," Carr told Wolfe of his future. "It's an exciting time, it really is. I'm thankful for my time here in Las Vegas, and Oakland, and I'll always be thankful and grateful but comes a time when it's time to move on and that's this time. So I'm excited, can't wait to see where God takes us next. I'm gonna give that city everything that I have. But for just one more time I get to represent the Raiders and I'm excited to do that for our fans and to get to say goodbye in our stadium. Didn't know what my next time in the stadium would be but for it being in the fourth Pro Bowl that's a pretty good time."
