Raiders Deserve Better Than Derek Carr and He Knows It
By Mark Powell
Derek Carr can pretend all he wants that the Raiders weren't looking at other quarterbacks in the NFL Draft.
Yet, when Oakland hired Jon Gruden, a quarterback guru in his own right, he was very clearly not initially impressed with Carr--a self-described franchise QB.
Does #Raiders QB Derek Carr have to prove himself this season or be worried about his future under head coach Jon Gruden? pic.twitter.com/yureuiIwS3
— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) May 24, 2019
Unfortunately for Carr, he doesn't get to decide his future. The pressure is squarely on his shoulders, and Gruden ought to be betting on failure. With the need to satisfy Antonio Brown this coming season, who is used to catching passes from a Hall-of-Fame signal-caller, Carr is more likely to fold under pressure than not.
Sure, he can pretend to use the media's criticism as motivation, but the fact remains he hasn't been the same since his back injury. Carr was once deemed an MVP candidate, but in the time since (with viable targets such as Amari Cooper), the former Fresno State Bulldog has come up short.
Derek Carr “The owner, head coach, GM and quarterback are all on the same page...”
— Scott Bair (@BairNBCS) May 21, 2019
Derek believed there was no real chance the Raiders would draft a QB high despite national speculation they would.
“This is my team and I’m not going anywhere.”
With the 2020 NFL Draft QB class full of potential Pro Bowl talent, betting on Carr is a mistake long-term, and Gruden knows this.
That's why he reportedly engaged in trade talks with the thought of drafting Kyler Murray. That's why he invited Dwayne Haskins for a pre-draft workout. That's why Carr's boasts as the franchise QB fall on deaf ears, repeatedly.