3. Carr’s Contract
Currently, Carr is being paid as the 10th-highest quarterback in the league, according to Spotrac.com. His contract includes $58.5 million still on the books, and ultimately, Carr isn’t performing like a top-10 passer that his contract alludes too.
The Raiders can get out from underneath his current deal with just $5 million in dead cap this offseason. According to Spotrac.com, the team’s payroll is in line to devote 50.47% of their cap to the offensive side of the ball, which is the second-most in the league. The defensive unit is on the books for 20.61%, ranking third-least in the NFL, which is another problem in itself.
Gruden has orchestrated a complete overhaul of his roster, and now as he enters year three with many reasons to be optimistic about the weapons he has at skill positions, he must get the most out of his quarterback.
General Manager Mike Mayock and Gruden have taken full advantage of their draft capital and have hit on a multitude of rookies, so exploring a rookie quarterback could be in the cards with the possibility of Carr being the next domino to fall due to the money he has tied to himself.
In addition to counteracting Carr’s contract, the money that would be saved with the arrival of a rookie passer may be exactly what it takes to rebuild the diminishing defense from the ground up.
