Raiders are ‘very happy’ with Derek Carr, but open to upgrade

Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock is happy with quarterback Derek Carr, but wouldn’t shut down the notion of upgrading the position.

INDIANAPOLIS — This isn’t Mike Mayock’s first time around the block.

On Tuesday, the second-year Las Vegas Raiders general manager spoke to reporters during his media session. When asked about quarterback Derek Carr, Mayock was clear in his affection for the 28-year-old, stating “Derek Carr played at a high level. I’m very happy with Derek Carr.”

However, only seconds later, Mayock talked about his willingness to upgrade at every position, including quarterback.

In Monday’s Stacking The Box, I wrote about Las Vegas as a potential trade-up team in April’s NFL Draft, with the Raiders holding the 12th and 19th-overall selections. Both those spots are thought to be prime Jordan Love territory. Mayock could also package those picks to get into the top-five spots, potentially landing Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert.

Carr has three years left on his five-year, $125 million extension signed in 2017, but the Raiders are only paying out $10.4 million in guarantees going forward. In short, Las Vegas could easily move on from Carr if it wanted to, either by trade or release.

For Mayock, stating his belief in Carr is the right move. Should the Raiders end up moving forward with him for 2020, he’s showing support. If a better situation comes up, whether it be one of the aforementioned rookies or a veteran such as Tom Brady, Mayock can move on and wish Carr well on his way out.

Last year, the Raiders went 7-9 behind Carr after starting 6-5. Overall, the former second-round pick threw for 4,054 yards and 21 touchdowns against eight interceptions, completing 70.4 percent of his attempts.