Derek Carr responds to report about locker room strife
With Jon Gruden and the Oakland Raiders restacking the deck after trades of first-round picks Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper, the question is what happens with quarterback Derek Carr.
Amid swirling rumors that the struggling quarterback might be the next player Gruden jettisons, Carr took to Twitter to respond to critics and to say he's not ready to give up on his career in Black and Silver.
I’m a Raider. It’s not a “popular” thing to be a Raider right now, but I am and I love it. I love the struggle of trying to fight back for our city when not a lot of people believe in us. People can try all they want to tear us apart, but it’s not happening to the real ones. 💀
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) October 23, 2018
The Raiders could get out of Carr's contract after the season with just $7.5 million in dead money while saving $15 million on the salary cap. The dichotomy could lead to a trade, if a suitor comes calling before the Oct. 30 deadline, or the QB getting cut next offseason.
Carr's comment wasn't his first Tuesday responding to critics.
The Raiders quarterback first replied to his brother, Darren, who was defending Derek from a report that there is a fractured relationship between the signal-caller and teammates, due in part because of the perception that Derek cried after being injured.
Don’t even waste your time with this big bro. On the ground I yelled get me up get me. Then I got to the sideline and yelled again. Not one tear. Not one time. There is the Truth. People will click on it because it sounds crazy. But stop playing with me.
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) October 23, 2018
Carr had tweeted just twice since the Mack trade on Sept. 1, yet the Raiders QB felt the need to defend himself and his team on social media with all the tumult surrounding the organization.