When the 2022 NFL regular season begins this September, the AFC West will undoubtedly boast the most talented quarterback division in the league. And although the title-starved Las Vegas Raiders aren't considered the favorite to capture the crown for the first time in two-plus decades, the franchise trusts its signal-caller to keep them in win-now mode for the foreseeable future.
The team announced on Wednesday that Derek Carr has signed a three-year contract extension worth $121.5 million that runs through the 2025 campaign and also includes a no-trade clause. Under this new deal, the 31-year-old will earn an average annual value (AAV) of $40.5 million, which ranks fifth-highest among league quarterbacks. His total cap hit for 2022 is $19.3 million.
"I'm someone who's high on the Raiders and I think they're going to go to the playoffs. But do you think they're actually going to win a Super Bowl with Carr as their quarterback?" Maggie Gray said during the Maggie and Perloff show on Wednesday. "Because if you're not sure about the answer to the question, you just made a huge mistake, if you're the Raiders... Do I see Derek Carr as a Super Bowl champion quarterback? I don't know if I can get there."
"You enter the Bermuda Triangle of quarterback evaluation, when it comes to Derek Carr," Perloff said. "Really hard to tell, because he's had an inconsistent career because of injuries, and you never know what to make of the Raiders... I don't think we can tell if he's worth the investment. I know it's a cop-out, but I feel like the Raiders said, 'We can wait around, try to get Aaron Rodgers next year. But we know we'll have a good QB.' That's enough in today's NFL."
Carr, who helped the Raiders clinch a postseason berth last season, threw for a career-high 4,804 yards in 17 games with 23 touchdowns and a 94.0 passer rating. But his season wasn't mistake-free, as he also logged 14 interceptions and was sacked 40 times -- the second-highest mark of his eight-year career. In Las Vegas' 26-19 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC wild-card round, Carr completed 29 of 54 passes for 310 yards with one score and one pick.
The Raiders' middle-of-the-pack scoring offense should improve drastically this upcoming season, as the franchise recently acquired superstar receiver Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers. Carr and Adams played two years together at Fresno State (2012-13), and during that period, Adams led the FBS in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. Las Vegas currently owns the lowest AFC West odds, according to Caesars.
Maggie and Perloff's complete thoughts on Carr's extension with Las Vegas can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Maggie and Perloff Show on Twitter @MaggieandPerl and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.