Raiders quarterback Derek Carr signed a three-year extension on Wednesday and he told reporters at a press conference that his goal in negotiations was not to maximize his return in the deal.
Carr was due to make $21 million in 2022 and will get a raise to $24.9 million before the extension kicks in next year. He’ll be guaranteed another $40-plus million early in the 2023 league year — the reported total value of the extension is $121.5 million — and told reporters that he set out to show that they could structure a deal that allows the Raiders to “keep everybody together and really have continuity, have something to build on” in Las Vegas.
Carr noted that the team traded Khalil Mack after his last extension and that his goal is to continue playing with teammates like Chandler Jones, Devante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and Foster Moreau for years to come.
“Everyone looks at certain numbers, they’re not going to get the whole picture of how it’s structured and how we did things. . . . We made sure guys like Chandler, guys like Devante, guys like hopefully Hunter and Foster and those guys can stay here the way we structured it. I went through a heartbreak already last time I signed my contract. My best friend left. I didn’t want that to ever happen again.”
Carr started his first playoff game after the 2021 season, but the Raiders couldn’t get past the Bengals. The offseason’s moves have raised expectations of further success in the years to come and the Raiders’ ability to reach them will factor into how long the band stays together.
