Report: Oakland Raiders staff feels Derek Carr is ready to start

August 15, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) reacts after an injury during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

In a turn eerily similar to the 2013 Oakland Raiders Preseason when their new veteran quarterback struggled in August before experiencing tendinitis in his elbow now head coach Dennis Allen and Greg Olsen are dealing with the exact same problem leading up to the 2014 season only this time it is former Texans quarterback Matt Schaub.

With Schaub sitting out with tendinitis on Sunday during Raiders practice, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirmed that the veteran quarterback only has tendinitis and that there is no structural damage with Schaub’s throwing arm to be worried about despite the concerns around tendinitis looming in an arm that has already lost a lot of velocity over the past few seasons.

In addition to the injury update, Albert Breer of NFL Network added to the report of Schaub’s tendinitis by claiming that the Raiders feel that rookie Derek Carr is ready to start “if needed” right away should the team be forced into that decision.

Based on recent events it is likely that some Raiders fans will be hoping that the team decides it is best to go with a young arm despite making the move this offseason, but that decision may not come in Week One thanks to the hit Carr took against the Detroit Lions. Had Carr not sat out on Friday night in Green Bay the Raiders quarterback controversy could have been a lot hotter this week than it will be, even if Schaub’s arm issues have just made it a legitimate decision to make for Dennis Allen in the next two weeks.