HENDERSON, Nevada – Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock gave quarterback Derek Carr, the subject of so many rumors about off-season negotiations, a resounding endorsement on Wednesday.
“I think Derek Carr had his best year under Jon Gruden,” Mayock said at a Zoom meeting with reporters, “I think he’s one of the best NFL quarterbacks, and we couldn’t be happier with him. And I warned everyone the years – we evaluate all positions every year. I have no idea who can call me [for a trade] or who can not call me. So, you have to do the evaluations, both of your own players and of all the other players in the league. And you have to stack your plates and understand what the league’s value is in the whole league, and we do that.
“But if you’re asking me [specifically] about Derek, I think Jon and I would go shoulder to shoulder and hit the table for Derek Carr. “
The Raiders were associated with Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson, whose agent listed Las Vegas as one of their four desired destinations – along with New Orleans, Dallas and Chicago – if the Seattle Seahawks decided to trade it.
Carr, meanwhile, is leaving his third consecutive year with Gruden. Last season, Carr had career records in passing yards (4,103), passer rank (101.4) and total QBR (71.0) with 27 touchdowns and 9 interceptions for a team of Raiders who finished 8-8, an improvement from one game over the 2019 season, but lost five of his last seven games and was only 2-6 at his new home, Allegiant Stadium. In his career, Carr, who signed a $ 125 million five-year extension in June 2017, has a career record of 47-63, with just one winning season.
Mayock, however, was not as effusive in his praise when it came to facing Trent Brown, who signed a $ 66 million free player contract in 2019, then a record for a four-year offensive striker.
Brown played more than 10 snaps in just 14 of the 32 games with the Raiders.
“As for Trent, the jury is still here,” said Mayock. “He is under contract and, once again, we believe in that player’s talent. There would be nothing better than having Trent Brown on the right tackle, protecting Derek Carr, next year, Week 1. But the jury is out, and yet so we have to make some decisions on our list in general. “
Brown has a salary cap of $ 14 million for 2021, with no dead money.
“The whole thing about Trent is, when he’s healthy, fit and ready to go, he’s as dominant as any tackle in football, and he proved that at the start of the 2019 season,” said Mayock. “Since then, it has been a kind of roller coaster ride. Really, what he needs to do, I think more than anything, is to put himself in the best shape of his life and come out ready to prove that he is a dominant opponent in the National Football League, and that’s really all we need – if Trent gets in shape and remains committed, there will be no better talent out there.
In the meantime, Mayock has neither confirmed nor denied a report by NFL reporter Josina Anderson that law enforcement officer Gabe Jackson has been informed of his release.