The Las Vegas Raiders are going to have a busy offseason, as it looks like several pieces could be out the door.
Head coach Josh McDaniels has woefully underwhelmed in his first year with the Raiders, with another loss under his belt after Week 17. The game against the San Francisco 49ers was a close one that went to overtime, but all the drama unfolded prior as McDaniels announced Derek Carr would be benched the rest of the way for the 2022 season.
It was a controversial decision, but perhaps one that had been coming as Las Vegas continued to pile up the losses. However, Carr has his staunch supporters, most notably David Carr, who came to his defense and emphasized his loyalty to the Silver and Black on NFL Network as transcribed by Levi Damien of USA Today:
“Derek Carr has said for a long time ‘I’m only going to play for the Raiders.’ It’s the Raiders or no one else. Such loyalty. So, he was fully invested,” David said of Derek. “Six head coaches, Khalil Mack gets traded, Amari Cooper’s shipped off, Jon Gruden gets fired midseason, he’s going through all this turmoil, right? He never called out a coach, never called out the organization, never called out the top brass in the organization, never said anything.”
Aside from criticizing the Raiders organization, David also laid out Derek’s future plans as far as playing goes:
“So, when I look at this it wasn’t Derek that changed, it was the Raiders that changed. So, when I go forward with Derek that conversation of him being retired or a Raider is no longer an option. He’s playing football again. He’s reinvigorated. He’s going out and the Raiders are going to seek a trade, they’re going to bring trades, which Derek has a no-trade clause, and they’re going to listen. And he’s going to look for teams that have a stable situation between their head coach and their ownership, right? Stable. He’s also going to be looking for a team that is also looking for a quarterback that has a reputation for game-winning drives and fourth quarter comebacks. I’m excited. Maybe he’s the missing piece for someone. We’ll see what happens. I’m excited for my brother’s future. I’m a little upset. That’s what happens.”
David’s comments all but confirm that Derek will not be with the Raiders next season but should find a new home, as there are several teams in the market for a new quarterback. When a trade ultimately does happen, it will mark the end of an era for one of the franchise’s most beloved players.
