“Good Chance” Derek Carr Returns Next Week, Raiders Starting EJ Manuel In Week 5

Update:

Ian Rapoport reports that while Derek Carr is not expected to play against the Ravens, there’s a “good chance” he returns for their Week 6 matchup with the Chargers.

Rapoport says that Carr “pushed himself like crazy” to play this week.

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According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Raiders are preparing to start EJ Manuel in Week 5’s game against the Ravens, even though Derek Carr “continues to push to play” despite his back injury.

Some reports have said that Carr could miss as much as 2-6 weeks, but it appears he’s closer to returning than that initial timetable indicated.

Carr, 26, is a former second-round pick of the Raiders back in 2014. He is was in the final year of his contract when the Raiders signed him to a five-year, $125 million extension that included $70 million guaranteed.

Carr will make base salaries of $5 million and $7.4 million over the next two years of the agreement but his contract includes a $15 million roster bonus to be paid out in 2018.

In 2017, Carr has appeared in four games and thrown for 753 yards while completing 67.9 percent of his passes to go along with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 20 quarterback out of 32 qualifying players.

Manuel, 27, is a former first-round pick by the Bills in the 2013 NFL Draft. He played out the final year of his four-year, $8,885,300 rookie contract.

However, the Bills did not pick up Manuel’s fifth-year option, which allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent and eventually sign a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Raiders.

In 2017, Manuel has appeared in one game for the Bills and completed 11-of-17 targets for 106 yards and an interception.