Raiders let Carr talk to other teams
Quarterback Derek Carr reportedly was granted permission to speak with teams that already have agreed to the compensation the Raiders are looking for in a potential trade.
Carr and his representative were waiting to be authorized to speak with potential trade partners. He has a no-trade clause in his contract and said he would use it if necessary.
He also said that he has no intention of extending the Feb. 15 trigger date on his contract, the date by which more than $40 million in guarantees kick in.
Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension last spring, which included the right for the Raiders to cut him ahead of Feb. 15 for a relatively minor $5.625 million salary-cap hit.
A team trading for Carr would owe him $32.9 million in 2022, $41.9 million in 2023 and $41.2 million in 2024, with a $100,000 workout bonus included each season.
Carr, who had been the Raiders’ starting quarterback since being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, bid farewell to the team and its fans in a statement last month.
Also in Raiders news, former Commanders offensive coordinator Scott Turner is joining the staff, likely helping oversee the passing game.
charge against Bengals’ Mixon dismissed
Bengals running back Joe Mixon no longer faces a misdemeanor charge of aggravated menacing over allegations that he threatened and pointed a gun at a woman in Cincinnati.
“We need additional investigation before we would move forward with this case,” a prosecutor told county judge Curt Kissinger, according to WCPO-TV.
The Cincinnati Police Department also said that despite the dismissal, new evidence has been recovered and an ongoing investigation is still permitted.
“Once all evidence is fully examined, criminal charges can be refiled at a later date,” the statement said.
A statement from the Bengals said the team was investigating the situation and not commenting further on the charge or its dismissal.
Smith optimistic about seahawks deal
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Friday that contract talks with the team are underway and the prospects of the two sides reaching a deal are “looking very good.”
Smith, 32, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March.
“We’ve had talks, and we’re in the process of getting all that settled right now,” Smith said.
NFL: concussions up 18% from 2021
The number of injuries NFL players suffered decreased in 2022, but there were more concussions than in the 2021 regular season, according to injury data released by the NFL.
Overall, injuries were down 5.6%, but concussions jumped by 18% (from 126 to 149) during the regular season. The league’s concussion protocol became scrutinized early in the season after Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a head injury in September against the Bengals.
CPR training offered at super bowl
Inspired by the lifesaving medical attention Damar Hamlin received on the field during a game last month, the NFL and the American Heart Association will provide free CPR education in Arizona throughout Super Bowl week as part of the NFL Experience at the Phoenix Convention Center. ✶