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The Raiders on Thursday signed Derek Carr to a five-year, $125 million extension. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the deal includes $40 million fully guaranteed with more than $70 million in total guarantees. The contract runs through 2022. The deal has elevated Carr over Colts quarterback Andrew Luck as the league's highest paid player in terms of average money per year.

Carr didn't get to finish out his MVP-caliber 2016 season after snapping his leg. Yet the quarterback's drastic improvement the past two seasons led to an off-season change at coordinator and talk of the coming lucrative contract.

So far, Carr has thrown for 11,194 yards, 81 touchdowns and 31 interceptions in three seasons. All along, Carr and the Raiders had viewed the time between the draft and training camp as the ideal window to hammer out an extension. Carr was rounding out his rookie contract, and was initially due less than $1 million in base salary this year.

For Oakland, the move is encouraging but is a sign of work to come.

As NFL.com's Conor Orr notes, Carr is just one of many dominoes in play for general manager Reggie McKenzie, who now must figure out how to retain Khalil Mack. Quite possibly the best defensive player in football, Mack is under contract through 2018 thanks to the club option. Wide receiver Amari Cooper is on the distant horizon, while standout guard Gabe Jackson is making his case for something in the near future in a market that has become very expensive of late.

Still, having your franchise quarterback nailed down for the foreseeable future is clearly a plus.

Remember, with Todd Downing's work as QB coach earning him buzz around the league, head coach Jack Del Rio declined to bring back Bill Musgrave -- whose contract was expiring -- and instead elevated Downing to offensive coordinator. The 36 year old assistant takes over an offense that ranked No. 6 in total offense and No. 7 in scoring offense in 2016.

Downing stressed he wouldn't make changes "just for change's sake."

So while there might be some subtle changes to the scheme, the intimate relationship between Downing and Carr inevitably leads to discussions about whether the new OC will give his quarterback more power. Getting approval from their play caller to call audibles at the line of scrimmage is something that separates the elite QBs from the pack. It sounds like Carr, who is fully recovered from the above-mentioned broken leg, will now get a chance to take a step in that direction.

A talented supporting cast (with the unretired Marshawn Lynch and free-agent TE Jared Cook joining Cooper and Michael Crabtree) adds to Carr's rising prospects in 2017.

Worth noting. ... As Profootballtalk.com pointed out, Carr's deal will surely be of interest to players such as Matthew Stafford and Kirk Cousins, as well as the underpaid such as Aaron Rodgers. But Cousins' and Stafford's negotiations will be relevant in the coming month. We'll be watching for more.