Only one step remains for Derek Carr to join the upper tier of NFL quarterbacks.
He needs to get paid like one.
It probably won’t happen right away. First there’s next month’s free-agent frenzy, followed by the NFL draft in late April. But sometime this summer, ideally before the Raiders begin training camp, Carr will almost assuredly receive a new contract more commensurate with his standing.
In other words, the former Fresno State star will no longer be pro football’s biggest bargain.
As the broken fibula that cut short an MVP-level season continues to heal, Carr remains tethered to the rookie contract he signed as the Raiders’ second-round pick in 2014.