Derek Carr signs 5-year extension to become highest-paid player in NFL history

Derek Carr has signed an extension with the Raiders. The new deal is worth $125 million over five years.

Derek Carr is now the highest paid player ever. Carr and the Raiders agreed on a contract extension worth $125 over five years. Carr tops the annual average salary of Andrew Luck as the new deal nets him $25 million per year.

Carr’s story has taken a major turn for the better since he entered the league in 2014. The second-round pick from Fresno State lost his first 10 NFL starts, and looked eerily like a reincarnated version of his brother, David Carr. Derek, however, was able to turn things around. He was an MVP candidate this past season, throwing for 32 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Carr seems to be thrilled with the new extension:

Prior to landing the deal, Carr said back in May that an extension was the furthest thing from his mind. Oakland obviously upped its ante and made it difficult for Carr not to enter negotiations.

"“I wouldn’t even answer my phone,” Carr said (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez). “The money isn’t the thing that drives me. … What drives me is making sure I’m giving everything that I have with my abilities, and making sure that we win. And I don’t want anything distracting my thought process at all.“Now, that’s not a jab, or anything like that. That’s just me saying I’m not going to deal with anything that’s not helping me just focus on winning.”"

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Luckily for Carr, the move to Las Vegas will help him financially. Nevada has a zero percent state tax, meaning Carr will keep a heck of a lot more of his contract. California has a 13 percent state tax. Carr, 26, completed 63.8 percent of his passes a year ago and he will only continue to improve.