Derek Carr Raiders SAN DIEGO, CA – NOVEMBER 16: Quarterback Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders reacts from the bench during the second half of the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on November 16, 2014 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The Oakland Raiders have had an eventful offseason highlighted by the addition of running back Marshawn Lynch, but franchise quarterback Derek Carr is apparently losing his patience with the front office heading into the 2017 season.

According to Michael Silver of NFL.com, “there has been no significant communication” between Carr’s agent and the Raiders in recent weeks. With Carr heading into the final year of his contract with an annual salary of just under $1 million, the quarterback coming off an MVP-caliber season just before a premature end feels deserving of having a contract extension in place. The Raiders made it known the contract negotiations with Carr would be slated to resume after the conclusion of the NFL Draft, but a few weeks later and there is no ground reportedly covered in that effort. As the days go by, the more frustrated Carr is reportedly getting.

“[Two] sources said Carr, given his previously stated desire to be a “Raider for life,” has grown frustrated with the slow pace of discussions and is extremely eager to get the deal done before the start of training camp,” Silver reports. “However, two-and-a-half weeks since the draft’s completion, the Raiders have yet to reach out to Carr or his agent — and the quarterback’s patience, sources say, is wearing thin.”

Maybe the Raiders are focused on locking down their free agent and rookie contracts. That can take some time, and there is likely no chance the Raiders won’t be keeping Carr in the fold beyond 2017, so there is no real rush to work out a deal from the front office perspective, not when Carr could see his salary jump to over $24 million in 2017 from his budgeted $977,519 for the upcoming season. But Carr has said before he will not be interested in having any conversations once training camp begins for the Raiders. He wants to focus all of his energy on preparing for the season. If the Raiders can’t work out a deal before training camp, things could get unnecessarily ugly with Carr.

The Raiders have a franchise quarterback in Carr, and they know that. The last thing they should want to do is cause any uneasy sentiments from Carr. By not making contact with Carr’s camp, the Raiders run the risk of seeing Carr decide he no longer wants to be associated with the team, especially as it prepares to move to Las Vegas in the next few years. That would put the team back at square one with its quarterback situation, and that alone can set a franchise back any number of years. If Carr is truly interested in being a Raider for life, then Oakland would be wise to get that in writing sooner rather than later.

[NFL.com]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.