Josh McDaniels is the new man in Las Vegas, but he's probably already learned the questions about Derek Carr's future don't subside even after responding to such inquiries with definitive statements.
McDaniels was quick to indicate he and new general manager Dave Ziegler were focused on getting to know Carr when the two were introduced in their new roles in January, and in early March, McDaniels had progressed to saying he had "no doubt" Carr would be his Week 1 starter in 2022.
On Monday, McDaniels reached a new stage, one in which he committed to at least "trying to build around" Carr, per The Athletic's Vic Tafur. You might be wondering: Why the baby steps, if not blatant equivocation? The answer is simple: Carr's contract expires after this season.
"Derek's going to have to make decisions about what's best for him and we have to try to do what's right for the team," McDaniels said when asked about discussions regarding an extension for Carr, per Tafur. "There will be a sweet spot in there hopefully for everybody."
Carr's contract -- a five-year extension signed two Raiders general managers ago, in June 2017 -- is remarkably team-friendly in 2022 dollars to the point Carr should expect a healthy raise. The Raiders might not be willing to hand out a massive pay bump, and thus, the negotiation process truly begins.
Questions regarding Carr's performance are nonsensical at this point: He owns a career passer rating of 92.4, threw for a career-high 4,804 yards in 2021 and led the Raiders to a playoff appearance despite losing a key receiver and a head coach in the middle of the season. Add McDaniels into the mix and Carr just might break 5,000 yards for the first time in his career.
We're creatures of habit, and it seems the queries about Carr's future continue out of such habits. It's certainly not because of his play, and although Carr isn't the guy McDaniels and Ziegler selected, he can certainly solidify himself with another solid season.
Until then, we'll hear periodical questions about a contract extension. Perhaps they'll find the sweet spot after all.
