Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is a favorite to win the MVP. So it only makes sense that he gets paid as such.
The Raiders are going to have to make Derek Carr as rich as Andrew Luck
The Raiders are reportedly looking to offer Carr a contract that’s similar to what Luck signed.
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According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Raiders are prioritizing a new mega-deal for the third-year passer. League sources say they're using Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck's five-year, $123 million contract as a guide.
Given his performance this season, Carr deserves to make that kind of money. He's completed 66.3 percent of his passes and owns a passer rating of 100.9 for the 6-2 Oakland Raiders, who are in a first-place tie in the AFC West with the Denver Broncos.
Any team would want to lock down Carr for the long-term, but it’s understandable why the Raiders seem especially eager. They haven’t posted a winning season in 14 years and have cycled through 19 different starting quarterbacks during that period. Carr, 25, gives them the stability they’ve sorely lacked.
Though extending Carr long-term is an easy call, it will likely force the Raiders to make tough choices in other areas of their roster. Linebacker Khalil Mack's contract is up in 2018 and star wideout Amari Cooper is due to become a free agent in 2019. Cooper, who is on pace for his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, will likely garner a huge deal as well.
It’s been a scintillating season for the long-suffering Raiders, who are simultaneously in the midst of a relocation controversy. Though so much about the franchise’s future remains up in the air, it looks like the team is intent on keeping Carr around for the long haul.
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