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Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said he did not feel the need to head-up longtime starter Derek Carr before Colin Capernick’s training session.
After bringing in the 34-year-old free agent quarterback for training on Wednesday, which reportedly impressed the Raiders, the coach stressed that the team still belongs to Carr.
“I think Derek is quite comfortable where he is,” McDaniels told reporters Thursday. “I think he knows who he is to us and I know he knows how I feel about him, how we feel about him. I don’t think that’s really a big thing for Derek right now.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels spoke at a press conference at the NFL Football Team Training Base on Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo / John Locher)
The 31-year-old Carr signed a three-year extension of $ 121.5 million this year and remains established as the team’s starting quarterback. The Raiders reportedly wanted to see if Kaepernick would fit well into a quarterback room, which also includes Jarrett Stidham and Nick Mullens.
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“I think he knows this is his football team and he works on the field and leads the way we want him to lead and does all the right things,” added McDaniels. “I couldn’t ask for more from Derek Carr and I’m very happy with what he’s doing so far.”
After Jon Gruden retired as Raiders coach in the middle of last season, Carr still managed to lead the team to the playoffs in one of the most difficult divisions in the NFL.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr celebrates releasing the first defeat in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, November 25, 2021. (AP Photo / Michael Ainsworth)
The three-time Pro Bowler had career highs in both passes (4804) and cross-country (14) in 17 games last season. He also threw 23 touchdowns and led the team to a 10-7 record before losing to eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round.
McDaniels declined to say on Thursday whether the team will sign Copernicus, who last played in the NFL in 2016, the same year he began kneeling during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice.
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The coach noted during his press conference that he will not answer questions about players who are not currently on the team.
“We brought in tons of people for training,” McDaniels said. “From day one, we said we would look into every opportunity, and he’s not the first player we’ve looked at, not the last.”
“So there will be a lot of people coming in and out of this building and they will have the opportunity to make an impression,” the coach added. “The assessments we make are private to us, and if we decide to add someone to the team, we will.”
Kaepernick said in a podcast interview last month that he “absolutely” wants to play in the league again and is even ready to return to the league as a backup quarterback if that helps his chances of returning.
FILE – San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kapernik (7) is looking for a successor during the second quarter of the NFC NFL Division playoff game against the Green Bay Packers in San Francisco, January 12, 2013 (AP Photo / Tony Avelar, file)
While Carr did not speak on Thursday, other players, including defender Max Crosby, were asked about the team that will bring Kapernik to training.
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“Honestly, I don’t know much about that,” Crosby told reporters. “I’m worried about the guys who are here right now, so that’s all I have on the subject.”
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