Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr spoke out on social media to squash trade rumors involving beloved Raiders tight end Darren Waller.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, the past two seasons have been starkly defined by overwhelming change.
The Raiders moved from their longtime Oakland home to Las Vegas in 2020, and the 2021 season was marked by the firing of Jon Gruden and the tragic accident involving wide receiver Henry Ruggs III.
Two stalwart players who led the locker room during this difficult season were quarterback Derek Carr and tight end Darren Waller, which is further exemplified by the fact that both players were named team captains at the beginning of the 2021 season.
So when rumors began to fly that the Raiders might trade Waller to the Green Bay Packers, Carr stepped up to squash the rumors before they spread like wildfire.
Derek Carr counters Darren Waller trade rumors on Twitter
Before the trade rumors broke, Waller spoke with FanSided last week and expounded on Carr’s best qualities as a quarterback and team leader.
“DC, the first thing that comes to my mind is resilience. I think he’s played every game since 2014. Just through the teams that have succeeded and done well to teams that haven’t done as well, you know, he’s still being the same guy. I’ve been there with him when the records weren’t good and when the records have been good.
He’s still the same guy that cares about guys on the independent individual basis before he is ready to jump down somebody’s throat about what they did wrong. It’s always… he’s got your back, he’s not going to air you out. He’s not going to blame you or anything like that.
He’s somebody who’s going to step up and lead the team and say what needs to be said, challenge people where they need to be challenged. And just as a quarterback, he’s accurate, very intelligent, the line of scrimmage, check into different plays when the defense gives us a certain look. He’s a real student of the game, and very talented.”
Based on Waller’s recent interview, he seems heavily invested in the future of the Raiders. Las Vegas would be hard-pressed to find a less expensive and more dynamic tight end and teammate than Darren Waller.
