Derek Carr - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Megatron, NFLPA, Patriots, Raiders

July 6th, 2016 at 4:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Had the Lions resided in better position within the NFC hierarchy, Calvin Johnson would have been more likely to consider returning. In an admission not unlike the circumstances surrounding Barry Sanders‘ 1999 retirement, Megatron told ESPN’s Michael Smith the Lions’ poor 2015 season and current status didn’t make leaving the game as difficult as it would have if they built on their 2014 playoff season.

“If we would’ve been a contender, it would have been harder to let go,” the former three-time All-Pro wide receiver told Smith during an E:60 profile that also delves into the injury issues that led to Johnson stepping away at age 30.

Johnson still amassed 1,214 receiving yards and scored nine touchdowns last year but had to deal with ankle injuries the past two seasons. The potential Hall of Fame wideout also told Smith he’s had “a few” concussions.

The Lions made two playoff berths during Johnson’s nine years, losing in the first round of the 2011 and ’14 NFC brackets. Detroit went 7-9 in ’15, but its 1-7 start effectively dashed any playoff hopes. Johnson retired in March but said in June that while he has no plans to return, such a re-emergence would be with the Lions.

Here’s the latest from around the league.

In light of the NBA’s dramatic cap rise generating critiques of the NFLPA’s job during the 2011 lockout, NFL Players Association assistant executive director of external affairs George Atallah attempted to clarify some points to Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com. The union floated the idea of negotiating the removal of the franchise tag but the owners’ concession demands would have been too high for their liking, Klemko writes. “Our system is designed to protect players as much as we can against a short career,” Atallah said. “So things like a higher minimum salary, injury protection, 89% minimum cap spending, post-career benefits that extend into forever. Our system is designed specifically towards the type of employee we have who is at risk of injury. That’s the best argument against comparing us and any sport; we just have a unique employee base.” While it’s difficult to reconcile Mike Conley making more than any NFL player at five years and $153MM fully guaranteed, Atallah pointed out the 53-to-15 roster imbalance between the leagues while emphasizing that the latest CBA stood to reward second- and third-tier players — i.e. Malik Jackson or Olivier Vernon — amid the franchise tag’s continued constraints.
It’s been six weeks since the Tom Brady and the NFLPA appealed the federal court ruling that reinstated the Patriots quarterback’s four-game suspension, and despite the second circuit failing to rule in the three- to six-week span expected, Michael McCann of SI.com anticipates Brady’s ban remaining in place. “The most likely verdict is the second circuit will not grant a re-hearing,” McCann said, via WEEI.com. “The second circuit grants re-hearings at less than 1% of the time. The odds are certainly not good for Brady.”
Andre Johnson remains interested in continuing his career, posting a video of a recent workout (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). The Colts released Johnson after one season in March, and we’ve heard nothing connecting the soon-to-be 35-year-old receiver to any teams at this point. PFR’s Dallas Robinson rated Johnson among his top-10 offensive free agents still available.
Although the Raiders ended up with both Khalil Mack and Derek Carr in the 2014 draft, Mark Davis pushed the front office to select Carr with the No. 5 overall pick that became Mack, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recalls. Carr ended up going at No. 36, with Reggie McKenzie and Co.’s decision allowing them to land one of the game’s best players in Mack.

QB Notes: Cousins, Taylor, Bortles

July 2nd, 2016 at 10:10am CST by Ben Levine

We’ve had several days to recover from Andrew Luck‘s record-breaking contract extension with the Colts. Of course, plenty of pundits are now analyzing how that deal might impact the league’s other quarterbacks.

Let’s take a look at some quarterback-centric notes, and we may get some clarity on who will get paid next…

Luck’s new contract will have little influence over Kirk Cousins‘ potential next contract with the Redskins, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. Rather, the quarterback will likely be operating under the franchise value, which ends up being around $78.36MM over three seasons.
Meanwhile, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News believes Luck’s new deal “only mean[s] good fortune” for Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor. The writer is convinced that the organization will spend on a franchise QB, although he’s uncertain how much they’ll actually be willing to pay Taylor.
While Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles surely won’t make Andrew Luck-money, Gene Frenette of Jacksonville.com believes the signal-caller could be in line for a contract exceeding $100MM.
Barring some unforeseen circumstances, no quarterback from the 2013 draft will be in line to command a huge payday. However, Florio notes that a handful of 2014 draft picks are in line to get paid, including Bortles, Derek Carr, and Teddy Bridgewater.
Former NFL agent Joel Corry (writing for CBSSports.com) surveys several other quarterbacks who could be impacted by the Luck deal, including Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Matthew Stafford.

AFC Notes: Geno, Raiders, Browns, Chiefs, Broncos

September 25th, 2015 at 7:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Geno Smith‘s prospects when it comes to turning into a viable starting quarterback in the NFL ostensibly aren’t good, but one of his Jets teammates – receiver Brandon Marshall – thinks the 24-year-old has a bright future.

“But like I said from the beginning — and I’ll stand by this — Geno is going to have a monster year, but unfortunately he’s not in it right now,” Marshall said Friday on SiriusXM Radio, according to Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin. “But he’ll get his shot. He’s still young and he has a long career ahead of him.”

Smith was supposed to be the Jets’ starter this year, but ex-teammate IK Enemkpali broke Smith’s jaw with a punch in August. Since then, Ryan Fitzpatrick has taken the reins and helped lead the Jets to a 2-0 start. As a result, Fitzpatrick has earned a vote of confidence from head coach Todd Bowles. Even without Fitzpatrick to take into consideration, the fact is that Smith hasn’t played well during his career. The 2013 second-round pick’s completion percentage sits in the high-50s and he’s thrown 25 touchdowns against 34 interceptions in 30 games.

Other news and notes from the AFC:

Oakland city and stadium officials have restarted exploratory talks on a new stadium with the Raiders, ESPN’s Bill Williamson reports. The Raiders have set a deadline for Oakland to figure out a new stadium plan by year’s end. If no progress is made, the Raiders – whose lease expires at the end of the season – could relocate to Carson, Calif.
The Browns had two first-round picks in the 2014 draft. They came out of the round with cornerback Justin Gilbert and quarterback Johnny Manziel. Gilbert’s career has been an abject disaster thus far, and Manziel’s hasn’t been a whole lot better. The Browns’ Sunday opponent is the Raiders, whose first two picks in 2014 were star linebacker Khalil Mack and blossoming QB Derek Carr. With that in mind, Tom Reed of Cleveland.com took a look at what could have been for the Browns.
In other Browns news, they tried out free agent receiver Jerry Rice Jr. this week, tweets Pro Football Talk. The son of the greatest wideout ever went undrafted out of UNLV in 2014 and has spent time with Washington and Baltimore.
Chiefs safety Eric Berry, who won an offseason battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, has regained his spot as a starter in the team’s base defense, coordinator Bob Sutton said (link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star). This comes on the heels of the three-time Pro Bowler playing 71 of 73 snaps in the Chiefs’ Week 2 loss to Denver. Berry’s increase in playing time means a decrease for Hussein Abdullah, who played 37 percent of snaps in Week 2 compared to 86 in Week 1.
The Broncos’ defense has allowed the fewest yards per game and the seventh-fewest points per game this year. Their players and coaches believe third-year tackle Sylvester Williams has played a key role in their success. “It’s exciting to start to see him develop into the type of player that we all know that he can be,” linebacker Von Miller said, according to Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post. “He’ll have a heck of a year. He’s truly a hard worker,” added defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. “He’s got talent, but a lot of guys have talent and they don’t work how he does.”

Raiders Reached Out To Christian Ponder

September 14th, 2015 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

3:50pm: The Raiders got positive news on Carr’s thumb and he could conceivably play on Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. If Carr is good to go, that could put plans for signing Ponder on hold.

2:55pm: Raiders quarterback Derek Carr will have an MRI on his injured hand today and the team doesn’t expect him to play Sunday, sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. With Carr potentially sidelined, the Raiders have reached out to quarterback Christian Ponder to express their interest.

Ponder was in camp with the Raiders this summer but he was a roster casualty when Oakland reduced its roster to 53. The Eagles were quick to express their interest in the former No. 12 overall pick, but he declined to work out for them, citing family reasons, according to Mortensen.

Ponder, 27, started 36 games during his four years with the Vikings, though he was essentially the team’s No. 3 signal-caller in 2014, behind Teddy Bridgewater and Matt Cassel on the depth chart. With a career 59.8% completion rate and 75.9 passer rating, Ponder didn’t find a very active market when he hit free agency this offseason. His best season came in 2012, when he threw 18 TDs and 12 picks for a playoff-bound team.

AFC Mailbags: Ravens, Rivers, Carr, Jags

April 18th, 2015 at 10:41am CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus over to the AFC…

The current group of Ravens tight ends have a combined one NFL start, and Jamison Hensley believes the draft will present an opportunity for the team to acquire a veteran. The writer suggests Brandon Pettigrew (Lions) or Marcedes Lewis (Jaguars) as potential targets.
Considering Rich Cimini can’t envision Marcus Mariota dropping to pick number six, he doesn’t think a Philip Rivers trade will work out between the Jets and the Chargers. However, if Mariota were to be available, the writer says the Jets would need to get a long-term commitment from Rivers before pulling the trigger.
Bill Williamson would be “stunned” if the Raiders drafted Marcus Mariota and traded Derek Carr. The team’s coaching staff is counting on Carr to be part of the future of the organization, so a shift in philosophy would be a “major storyline.”
Besides an edge rusher, wideout Amari Cooper would be the only other player the Jaguars would consider with the third pick, opines Mike DiRocco.

Extra Points: Titans, Morgan, McKenzie

December 22nd, 2014 at 5:06pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Titans are 2-13, and looking at a very high draft pick this offseason, but they also have a number of contributors who are set to hit free agency at the end of the year. Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com takes a look at a 16 players who the Titans will make decisions on, and gives an idea of whether the team will try to keep them.

Notably, he writes that Michael Roos would probably not sign even if the Titans wanted to keep him. With Taylor Lewan taking over at left tackle, Roos would likely find work elsewhere rather than make the transition to right tackle. Jake Locker is another player who isn’t expected to return, although his is a case of the team not being interested.

Kuharsky doesn’t pick out many players the team would have to keep, aside from Derrick Morgan, but most of the list are players who can contribute but are not vital to the operation, much as one would expect from a two-win team.

Here are some other notes from around the league:

While Morgan is probably the best player on the Titans that is hitting free agency, he has said that the team has not approached him at all regarding an extension, according to Terry McCormack of TitansInsider.com (via Twitter). Kuharsky wrote that Morgan adjusted well to the 3-4 defense, but could pursue a return to a 4-3 in free agency.
Raiders‘ general manager Reggie McKenzie has had a tumultuous season, in which he fired head coach Dennis Allen and heard rumors that his own job may be in jeopardy. However, he believes that he has built a foundation in Oakland, highlighted by rookies Khalil Mack and Derek Carr, writes Vic Tafur of SFGate.com. “Derek and Khalil stopped being rookies a little while back. Now they are veteran players. They can carry this into next season and help build this team into winners,” said McKenzie. “They’ve shown their teammates who they are as players and men off the field, and they’re definitely guys everybody can count on.”
The Panthers have activated defensive end Frank Alexander for this week’s matchup against the Falcons, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter). Alexander is coming off a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The move was expected after the team decided not to activate him in time for the Browns’ game on Sunday.

Extra Points: Goodell, Vikings, Harvin, Dogra

November 22nd, 2014 at 11:08pm CST by Rob DiRe

In the wake of the Adrian Peterson decision, tensions between the NFL and the player’s union are high once again, writes Mark Maske of the Washington Post. Commissioner Roger Goodell exerted significant power in suspending Peterson for the season, singular power the the union was under the impression he would no longer be wielding on his own. According to Maske’s source, the two sides have no good will between them.

“I think it reflects a fundamental disagreement about the role of the commissioner’s office in the disciplinary process,” said Gabriel Feldman of the sports law program at Tulane University. “I think it’s a reflection of the tension that has existed. It’s not surprising. It would have been surprising if the Players Association had not sought so vigorously to have Peterson reinstated. To some extent, it is each side playing the role it’s supposed to play.”

Here are some other notes from around the NFL this Saturday evening:

In Peterson’s absence, the Vikings will be forced to continue the season using a running back-by-committe approach, and that may be the plan going forward, writes Matt Vensel of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. He writes that the player taking carries for the Vikings next season could be any one of the players on the active roster, Peterson, or someone they take in the 2015 NFL Draft.
The Jets‘ have seen a lot of improvement with their midseason acquisition of Percy Harvin, and are happy with how he has fit in so far, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. They will have a tough decision to make at the end of the season on whether to keep him at his hefty price tag of $10MM, but Harvin hopes to remain with the team.
Since Ben Dogra has been fired, CAA Sports has also terminated the contracts of a number of employees who worked closely with the embattled NFL agent, writes Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal. On behalf of Dogra, his attorney, Rusty Hardin, stated that he was unsure of any “supposed cause” for his firing and ensured that none of the agent’s clients had left (via Twitter). He also commented on Dogra’s future, saying he “hasn’t decided where he is going to land or whether he is going to start his own firm.” (via Twitter).
Three of the top four quarterbacks selected in this past NFL Draft have seen significant game action this season, and Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post has compared their play to see who has played best and who has shown the most promise for the future. The answer to both questions so far point to Derek Carr, who has impressed with his decision-making and his quick release, according to Gabriel. Blake Bortles has struggled and Teddy Bridgewater has yet to be unleashed, while Johnny Manziel is the only one of the four to not receive any significant playing time this season.

Monday Roundup: Cutler, Trades, Landry

October 27th, 2014 at 8:54pm CST by Rory Parks

Our Zach Links wrote earlier that Bears GM Phil Emery is not currently thinking about parting ways with head coach Marc Trestman, and Emery and Trestman both reaffirmed their support for embattled quarterback Jay Cutler one day after Chicago’s embarrassing Week 8 loss to the Patriots. As Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com writes, Emery and Trestman remain committed to Cutler, attempting to accentuate the positives in their signal caller’s performances while acknowledging the struggles.

Emery claimed that his club’s decision to stick with Cutler has nothing to do with Cutler’s salary, but ESPN’s John Clayton is understandably skeptical. In his “Clayton Minute” video segment, Clayton says that, given the Bear’s $18MM annual commitment to Cutler, Chicago simply has no other choice than to hope that Cutler can right the ship.

Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times writes that Emery has been approached with “two or three interesting” trade proposals, but nothing that helps the Bears win in 2014. As Emery stated that the team is far from giving up hope on this season.
Derek Carr is showing tremendous promise and the Browns have to be second-guessing their decision to target Johnny Manziel in the draft instead of him, writes Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine says that the team’s phones are ringing but cautions that the deadline brings few trades in comparison to the amount of talk that happens, tweets Nate Urlich of the Akron Beacon-Journal.
Citing ESPN’s Adam Schefter, CSNBaltimore.com staff reports that the league has levied a $1.4MM salary cap charge on the Ravens as a result of Ray Rice‘s grievance against the club. According to Schefter, it is normal practice for the NFL to make such a move when a grievance is pending. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun writes that the cap charge reduces the Ravens’ cap room to about $4.1MM. Baltimore may need to utilize some of that room, as star cornerback Jimmy Smith is expected to miss “a few weeks” with a left foot sprain, according to Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com.
Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt said that his club is unlikely to make any more trades,according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com (via Twitter).
The Colts are in no hurry to bring back LaRon Landry after his four-game PED suspension, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com looks at how Jon Beason‘s salary, and the Giants‘ salary cap, will be affected by Beason’s season-ending injury.

Zach Links contributed to this post

Mike Pettine On Carr, Manziel, Hoyer

October 22nd, 2014 at 5:59pm CST by Zachary Links

This Sunday, the Browns will take on the Raiders who are led by promising rookie quarterback Derek Carr. While the Browns drafted the most talked about QB this year, Carr is making the biggest impact of any rookie signal caller this year. Cleveland coach Mike Pettine can’t help but be impressed by what he’s seen out of Carr. “For a rookie quarterback, the kid’s playing.. pretty well,” Pettine said, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. “You use a coaching cliché, ‘He can make all the throws.’ This is a kid that can legitimately make all the throws. You could tell he’s got a firm grasp of what they’re doing.” In an alternate universe somewhere, the Browns resisted the urge to draft Johnny Manziel and instead selected Carr. While you ponder that, here are more highlights from today’s presser, courtesy of Ulrich:

On what his discussions were like with Carr before the draft

Positive. We had a good visit with him – ran out to Fresno (State University), spent some time with him and his brother. It was good. He’s very mature. If you’re around him you wouldn’t think that he’s a kid just coming out of college. The fact that he’s so close with his brother and what his brother has been through in the NFL, I think prepared him that much more. It’s showing up in his play. You can tell he’s very much a student of the game just by how he plays. You can tell he knows certain defenses, where to go with the ball, when to get out of a run and throw it on the outside and based on coverage where to attack a defense. I think his football IQ is well ahead of the game because of his background.

On if his brother David Carr’s lack of success in the NFL ever came up when evaluating Derek Carr

No, to me, you look at it as a positive because the mistakes that his brother made or what happened to his brother can only make Derek better. Like I said, here’s a guy that’s only been sacked four times. He can make plays with his feet and get out of the pocket. He’s got a quick release, and he’s decisive with the ball and they’re blocking well in front of him.

On if the Browns had Carr rated close to Manziel on their draft board

I don’t know where he finally fell in that cluster of guys, but this year – just going back looking at the draft – you just had so many varying opinions on players. It wasn’t that there was a clear consensus on it, but when you watched the Fresno tape he was guy that you knew this kid’s an NFL quarterback.

On what makes him think that pending free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer can come back from last week’s loss to the Jaguars

Number one, I think his confidence, his preparation, his ability to compartmentalize and put something behind him, then also just confidence in the guys around him. I think all the guys know on offense that they didn’t play well enough for the offense to be successful, which was a big part in making his performance look the way that it did starts up front. That goes to the backs, to the receivers, to the tight end. It’s the whole group, and it’s a subtle effect. When you have issues in the run game that puts you in second-and-9. It’s hard for your quarterback to look good at times – second-and-9, third-and-9 than it is second-and-5, third-and-4. To me, it’s a ripple effect throughout when you’re not playing at a high level around him

AFC Notes: Raiders, Colts, Ryan, Blackmon

October 2nd, 2014 at 2:38pm CST by Luke Adams

After taking a look at a few Thursday headlines out of the NFC this morning, we’ll shift our attention to the league’s other conference and check in on the latest from around the AFC….

Earlier this week, Albert Breer of the NFL Network reported that Jon Gruden is a big fan of quarterback Derek Carr and that his presence could help lure Chucky back to Oakland. Now, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears that Raiders owner Mark Davis actually drafted Carr in the second round of this year’s draft as a part of his plan to bring Gruden back.
As Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star explains, the extra non-guaranteed year tacked onto the end of Robert Mathis‘ current contract isn’t the reason the Colts extended his deal. The extension included a reworking of his 2015 salary that makes it much more palatable for the team to move on from the veteran pass rusher after this season, if he’s viewed as too expensive or if he isn’t recovering well from his torn Achilles.
Asked earlier today about head coach Rex Ryan‘s job security, Jets owner Woody Johnson said that’s something the team would evaluate at season’s end. For his part, Ryan told reporters today, “I think we’ll win this year. … I believe in my heart that I’ll be a part of [the Jets’] long-term future” (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News).
News that Justin Blackmon has voluntarily entered a treatment facility is a good sign that the troubled receiver may finally be turning his life around, writes Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. In fact, that should make the Jaguars cautiously optimistic that the wideout may return to the field one day. Blackmon is currently serving an indefinite suspension for his third violation of the NFL’s substance abuse program.

Zach Links contributed to this post.