Oakland Raiders: Potential Kirk Cousins’ deal could up ante with Derek Carr

The Oakland Raiders will have to pay huge dollars to keep quarterback Derek Carr long term, but how does Kirk Cousins’ deal affect the price tag?

Two quarterbacks without a playoff victory could lead all annual salaries at the position with contracts paying $25 million or more in 2017. Yes, that seems crazy on the surface considering the lofty price tag.

Nonetheless, the Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins know the worth of their signal-callers and what they mean toward contending for a Super Bowl title.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Derek Carr could become the first quarterback to earn $25 million per year on a new deal:

Earlier in the offseason, the Raiders signal-caller said he’d discontinue talks about a new deal once training camp starts late July (h/t NBC Bay Area reporter Scott Bair):

"Reggie said he wanted to do it after the draft. They’ve been talking a little bit to build it, but I’ll let them handle that and hopefully it just gets done before training camp. Because, once football, training camp starts, I won’t even answer my phone if it has to do with that."

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Carr’s set deadline puts general manager Reggie McKenzie on the clock, and it’s very likely the two sides come to an agreement while the players have about six weeks away from football.

There’s no dispute about the Raiders locking the 26-year old passer into a long-term deal, but at what cost? Rapoport mentioned $25 million, but Cousins could sign a deal worth that amount before McKenzie closes the books on his franchise quarterback. If so, the Redskins could further drive up the price for Carr.

Washington franchise-tagged Cousins for the second time. As such, he’s set to make $23.9 million in 2017, per Spotrac. However, team president Bruce Allen views the July 15 deadline to strike a long-term deal as the “driving point” to push serious talks, via Washington Post reporter Master Tesfatsion:

As we saw with Marshawn Lynch’s deal, deadlines bring urgency. The July 15 deadline to sign franchise-tagged players comes a little more than a week before the Raiders’ training camp start date.

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According to ESPN.com reporter John Keim, the Redskins offered a five-year deal worth approximately $20 million per year with a low amount of guaranteed cash, which means the front office has alternative options to close the gap other than offering $25 million per year.

Nonetheless, hashing out the top salary for Cousins could bring Carr’s agent, Tim Younger, back to the negotiating table with higher demands. Both quarterbacks played a major part in putting their respective squads in the postseason once over the past two seasons. Yet, the Raiders signal-caller earned MVP consideration in 2016.

Carr’s impressive play could help his agent leverage more cash if the Redskins strike a deal with Cousins by July 15. It’s all about market value. In a quarterback-driven league, it’s the one position that twists the proverbial arms of general managers year after year.

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McKenzie may be able to avoid stalled talks or complications at the negotiating table with an offer before Washington adds more context to the quarterback market. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, talks between the Redskins and Cousins’ agent have picked up steam. This doesn’t mean the two sides will iron out a deal anytime soon, but Carr’s agent likely has eyes on what — if anything — transpires in Washington.