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Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said he didn’t feel the need to tell longtime starter Derek Carr ahead of Colin Kaepernick’s practice.
After bringing in the 34-year-old free agent quarterback on Wednesday for a workout that would have impressed the Raiders, the coach stressed the team was still Carr’s.
“I think Derek is pretty comfortable with 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 important to Derek at this point.”
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels speaks during a press conference at the NFL Football Team’s Training Center Thursday, May 26, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada.
(AP Photo/John Locher)
Carr, 31, signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension this year and remains the team’s starting quarterback. The Raiders reportedly looked to see if Kaepernick would be a good choice in a quarterback room that also includes Jarrett Stidham and Nick Mullens.
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“I think he knows this is his football team, and he works like that on the pitch, and he shows the way we want him to lead, and he does all the right things,” McDaniels added. . “I couldn’t ask for more from Derek Carr and I’m very happy with what he has done so far.”
After Jon Gruden stepped down as Raiders coach midway through last season, Carr still managed to lead the team to the playoffs in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr celebrates running the ball for a first down in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, November 25, 2021 .
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
The three-time Pro Bowler had career highs in passing yards (4,804) and interceptions (14) in 17 games last season. He also threw for 23 touchdowns and led the team to a 10-7 record before losing to the eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round.
McDaniels declined to say Thursday whether the team would sign Kaepernick, who last played in the NFL in 2016, the same year he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.
COLIN KAEPERNICK IMPRESSES DURING TRAINING WITH LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: REPORTS
The coach noted in his press conference that he won’t answer questions about players who are currently not in the squad.
“We brought tons of people for practices,” McDaniels said. “We said from day one that we would look at every opportunity, and he’s not the first player we’ve looked at nor the last.
“So there will be a lot of people coming in and out of this building and having the opportunity to make a good impression,” the coach added. “The assessments we do are kind of private to us and if we make the decision 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 open to returning to the league as a backup quarterback if it helps his chances of a comeback. .
FILE – San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) looks for a receiver during the second quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in San Francisco, January 12, 2013.
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)
While Carr didn’t speak Thursday, other players, including defensive end Maxx Crosby, were asked about the team bringing in Kaepernick for practice.
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“Honestly, I don’t know much about it,” Crosby told reporters. “I’m worried about the guys who are here right now, so that’s really all I have on that.”