Raiders Opinion: Financials Over Fandom Matters Most

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While people continue to squabble about the quarterback situation, the Las Vegas Raiders have work to do in 2023.

If you own a TV, tablet, or phone, you’ve heard about Derek Carr and his future. What about the Raiders? Too many people focus on the wrong issues. Agonizing over one player while the remainder of the franchise resides in limbo is rather pathetic. As a result, before the clock strikes twelve on Sunday, the Raiders must turn the page and begin to carve a better path forward next year. That monumental task starts at the top and will trickle its way to the roster. Here is a plausible plan.

Quarterback Instability

Regardless of how many sorrowful tweets from fans and media sadness, Derek Carr’s tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders should be done. Now, what should happen? First and foremost, two plans, running concurrently must happen. First, Vegas needs a bridge quarterback, a short-term starter while a rookie draft pick prepares to take over. Yet, who fits this role? Gardner Minshew jumps to mind. He will not cost an arm and leg. At 27 when the 2023 season begins, he’s young enough to cash in on another deal after a shorter Raiders agreement expires. In essence, a three-year, 14-million-dollar deal with two-thirds of it coming in a signing bonus works.

Trade-In

If Derek Carr capitulates and allows the Raiders to trade him, instead of cutting him, their cap space number jumps up to sixty-three million dollars. Whether Carr will play ball and work with the Raiders remains to be seen. If Vegas cannot work out a deal for Carr and they release him right after the Super Bowl, their dead cap money for him hovers around five million. Considering what the team would save, either way makes Carr’s departure palatable.

Keeping 28 In Town

Now, with cap flexibility, the Raiders can ink Josh Jacobs to a long-term deal. According to Spotrac, Jacobs’ value settles in at 12.1 million. For Jacobs, a four-year, 48-million dollar deal could be feasible, depending on what other moves occur. In his prove-it year, Jacobs accomplished just that. As of this writing, Jacobs’ 1539 yards lead the league. Moreover, Jacobs professed his desire to remain in Las Vegas. In a league where running backs feel disposable, Jacobs bet on himself and rewarded the franchise. Now, they must reciprocate.

Tae To Stay?

In various social media posts, WR Davante Adams mentioned that he wanted to play with the Raiders because of Carr. Granted, that type of loyalty and friendship is rare. However, the Las Vegas Raiders are a professional football team, not a summer camp. With money on the table, the ability to parse friends from finance becomes crucial. Adams signed a five-year, 140-million-dollar deal. Unlike Carr, Adams possesses zero leverage or advantage. If he chooses to sit out, fines will accrue. On top of that, he cannot force a trade. To paraphrase modern parlance, the Raiders could make Adams find out. As a result, if he leaves, it will remain an organizational choice, not his.

Release And Restructure

To navigate the sketchy waters of the salary cap, the Raiders could do a bit of house cleaning alongside reworking contracts. If we take into account the hypothetical release of Derek Carr, that could start a chain of events that could reshape the financial structure of the franchise. Darren Waller’s deal does not seem bloated, but reworking the numbers, could save the team nearly eight million dollars. Also, a quick pencil-whipping of Kolton Miller’s contract lops off another two million in cap pain. Honestly, the only two contracts that should remain intact are Maxx Crosby and Daniel Carlson. Crosby is the team’s best defensive player, while Carlson’s foot connects on almost eighty-eight percent of his kicks, many in clutch situations. Reward him for keeping the team afloat and bailing out the offense. Add in Chandler Jones’ restructure and the cap space expands to seventy-five million dollars.

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Moves In Silence

From the opinions of many, they label Mark Davis as Fredo Corleone, the weakest member of a strong family. Fredo put his needs ahead of the family. In contrast, Davis accepted a sweetheart deal to move to Nevada. That move increased the team’s value to roughly five billion dollars. Furthermore, unlike Fredo Corleone, Mark Davis is the undisputed leader of the Raiders family. Like it or not, his birthright and the forty-seven percent stake assure him controlling interest. When people proclaim Mark Davis is not his father, they are correct. Al loved the spotlight and the microphone. Mark appears to work in the shadows, allowing the football minds that he trusts to make those decisions. Davis strikes me more as Mr.Glass from Unbreakable fooling people into thinking he’s helpless. Glass rolled away from the consequences. Davis stumbles his way to the bank.

What Derek Carr Owes

Nothing. In his defense, Carr left pieces of himself on that field for the Raiders. Through nine painful seasons, he played. In no way, shape or form does he need to facilitate a trade to make anything easier for them. The no-trade clause ensures that. You can question his intangibles, his abilities in the clutch, or his timidity. Yet, you cannot question the fact he showed up to play. At the end of the day, if he chooses to be obstinate, that remains his unquestioned right. Regardless of how this situation resolves, the two sides should shake hands and keep it moving. An unproductive nine-year relationship needs to end. Marriages end far sooner and are potentially less messy.

Searching For New Fish?

If you watch the social media that surrounds the Raiders and their fandom, you will see a cottage industry starting to implode. Alleged media, bereft of credentials or qualifications, built their empires on the backs of allegiance to a single player, instead of a team. Consequently, thousands of followers, blinded by the idolatry of a single player, flocked to their blogs and websites. Instead of providing fair and balanced thought, these entertainers provided a space for monetized ignorance. Hundreds of articles, tweets, and podcasts, dedicated to how terrible the defense plays, or demanding Mark Davis sell the team, contaminated the air. By eschewing facts, watching film, or relying on the intellect of those in the know, many fans chose to subscribe to clownish groupthink. When Derek Carr has seemingly gone, these hosts/writers will need to actually work and not provide hot takes. Less Pravda, more Washington Post.

The Future

Whether the roster stays intact or endures an overhaul, the management of the Las Vegas Raiders appears to seek a new direction. In all honesty, they don’t care what fans or media say about that. More importantly, the influx of cap space should make any rebuild a quick occurrence, instead of a laborious process.