Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has been the one constant for the franchise in the last few seasons. The 2021 season may not have been his best one statistically, but he deserves a lot of credit for holding things together and helping them get into the postseason.
Despite that, there were some rumors this offseason that Carr could be on the move. He was entering the last season of his contract and Las Vegas was making a lot of changes. The front office and coaching staff are both under new regimes with Dave Ziegler taking over as general manager and Josh McDaniels as the head coach.
Instead of leaving Carr’s future up in the air, the two sides worked out a contract extension. Carr and the Raiders agreed to a three-year extension worth $121.5 million, keeping him in Las Vegas through 2025. The deal also includes a no-trade clause, so Carr isn’t going to be going anywhere for the foreseeable future unless he wants to.
That level of security should only help Carr’s performance in 2022. The improved roster around him will be nice as well, as the Raiders traded for Davante Adams, arguably the best wide receiver in the league.
With all of the improvements around him, some people believe the Fresno State product is in for a big season. How big of a season, you ask? MVP-type numbers, as some believe Carr is a dark horse for the award.
This wouldn’t be the first time that Carr was among the best players in the NFL for a season. Back in 2016, he led the Raiders to a 12-3 record before he got hurt, completing 63.8 percent of his passes for 3,937 yards, 28 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He wound up finishing third in MVP voting and sixth in the Offensive Player of the Year ballot.
There is a chance that Derek Carr approaches that level of production again. McDaniels is one of the best offensive minds in the league and the skill positions surrounding Carr are among the best in the NFL.
An improved defense should also lead to more wins, which will only bolster his case for the MVP award. He is a worth dark horse candidate indeed and someone to keep an eye on throughout the 2022 season.
