3 players Raiders should extend instead of Derek Carr
Some Raiders fans want to see the team hand Derek Carr a lucrative new contract, but Las Vegas should extend these three players instead.
Jon Gruden flirts with the idea of bringing in a new starting quarterback every season, but Derek Carr continues to maintain his vice grip on the position. The fact that Carr is ticketed to hit free agency in 2023 has many Raiders fans wondering whether or not the team should try to lock him up to a long-term contract extension this offseason.
To Carr’s credit, he’s largely played like an above-average starting quarterback during Gruden’s tenure. He lacks the explosive athleticism or arm strength to really elevate the talent around him, but he’s a smart signal-caller that gets the ball where it needs to be on time. Carr will have multiple suitors if he ever hits unrestricted free agency.
Las Vegas needs to find a true difference-maker at the game’s most important position if they want to become legitimate Super Bowl contenders anytime soon. Overpaying Carr would doom the franchise to mediocrity for years to come. Instead of spending big on an average quarterback, Mike Mayock and his front office should spend money to lock up the following three players.
3. Nicholas Morrow
There haven’t been a lot of defensive bright spots for the Raiders during Gruden’s tenure. Morrow is the exception to that rule. The young linebacker has grown into a quality starter at his outside linebacker spot.
Morrow doesn’t quite deserve to be considered a true difference-maker, but he’s a young, quality starter on a defense that has a ton of holes to fill in the next few offseasons. The Raiders shouldn’t pay Morrow like a superstar, but if they can lock him up on a modest deal for three or four more seasons it could turn into a bargain contract.