I don’t know if you’ve heard of this, but Derek Carr is no longer the Raiders’ quarterback. He held the position for nine years despite only two winning records and zero playoff wins.
However, none of this could possibly fall on him. It was always everyone else who was the problem. The front office, the coaches and the players around him were always the problem.
How do we know? Well, just ask his brother, who worked as an analyst for NFL Network for seven of Derek’s nine seasons in the league.
Last week, David told viewers to tune in to NFL Network on Monday to hear him “rip a few things off his chest,” about how flawless and loyal his brother was in Raiders troubles throughout his career with the Raiders and like the Raiders just didn’t appreciate him.
“Derek Carr has long said, ‘I’m only going to play for the Raiders.’ It’s either the Raiders or nobody else. That loyalty. So he was fully invested,” David said of Derek. “Six head coaches, Khalil Mack is traded, Amari Cooper is shipped, Jon Gruden is fired mid-season, he’s going through all this turmoil, right? He never called a coach, never called the organization, never called the top executives in the organization, never said anything.”
Ok, I have to stop here. Because someone has to fight it in a way their peers never would.
1. Poor quarterback play had nothing to do with the coaching change? None at all? OK. 2. Yes, the Raiders made Derek Carr the highest-paid player in NFL history as an excuse to trade Mack instead of paying him. 3. Amari Cooper found instant success with the Cowboys. Nothing to do with Derek again? None at all? OK. 4. Gruden got fired, sure. But, hey, David, who was it that traded Khalil Mack away again? I’ll let you think about it.
Continue…
“All he was doing was trying to bring people in. He tried to bring his best friend in, which he succeeded in Davante Adams. That deal was dead. The Packers and the Raiders didn’t want to trade, right? They called and made it possible. So he brings people with him all the time.”
The story goes on
Again, sorry, let me interrupt you. This is a great achievement and Derek deserves considerable credit for it. Adams blamed Derek for joining the Raiders. But you said people. Besides Adams, who is Derek credited with? Antonio Brown? anyone else?
Sorry, keep it up…
“Is he appreciated for that? no I sit on this desk and I have to talk about Derek every year. “Will he be replaced? Someone will bring him here. They have to act, they have to do this, they have to do that.’
I have to jump in here to point out that the conversation is outside of the organization. Kind of comes with the territory. Not unique to Derek. Although he was a beginning QB for nine years despite never winning a playoff game, this could be the case.
Go on…
“All he did was go out there and be the all-time best passer in Raiders history.”
nine years. Start QB. The Raiders’ last QB to have nearly as many starts last stepped onto the field in Silver & Black 43 years ago. Something different time.
I digress…
“Well, if I look at it, it’s not Derek that’s changed, it’s the Raiders. So if I go ahead with Derek, talking about him being retired or being a raider is no longer an option. He’s playing football again. He’s reinvigorated. He walks out and the Raiders will seek a deal, they will bring a deal that Derek has a no trade clause on, and they will listen. And he will look for teams that have a stable relationship between their head coach and their owner, right? Stable. He’ll also be looking for a team that’s also looking for a quarterback who has a reputation for game-winning drives and fourth-quarter comebacks. I’m excited. Maybe he’s the missing piece for someone. Lets see what happens. I look forward to my brother’s future. I’m a little upset. That’s what happens.”
Let’s face it, the only way Derek would retire after his time with the Raiders would be if they gave him the offensive keys indefinitely. He had nine years. If that’s not enough and he’s still seen as a victim, there was never really a chance he would retire instead of trying to keep playing.
And that’s great news for the Raiders. They would very much like to get compensation for him from a team that takes David’s testimony and believes Derek was never the problem with the Raiders and believes they can save him.
Story originally appeared on Raiders Wire