No doubt about it, Derek Carr is still the Raiders franchise QB

Derek Carr’s performance as the season progresses continues to get better and better. There is no doubt about it, he is still the franchise quarterback.

Entering the 2018 regular season, one of the goals for Jon Gruden in his return to the sidelines was to get Derek Carr back to his dominant 2016 self. Well, that didn’t happen early on, which shouldn’t be a shock. For the fourth time in his five year career Derek Carr had to learn a new system.

The constant turn over and lack of continuity would derail anyone in any profession. The expectations and slander early in the season for Carr was just unfair. That’s all due to the fact that no body is patient with these players, especially a quarterback in his fifth year in the league being paid $25 million.

Make no mistake, Derek Carr is still the franchise quarterback for the Raiders. He is the future and that is why patience is crucial. Expectations in the short term for Carr should be scrapped. Instead, long term expectations is what everyone should be looking at, which is exactly why Jon Gruden was given a 10 year contract.

The Oakland Raiders have been the most dysfunctional team in the NFL next to the Cleveland Browns. Lack of stability is the headline of the dysfunction, so with Gruden’s contract and by exuding patience with Carr, the hope is that stability will grow. This season is a perfect example of it. Before their week seven bye Derek Carr wasn’t playing great, but wasn’t playing terrible like how most people had him out to be.

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We saw him check down the ball a lot and make some horrible decisions that lead to interceptions. But other than his decision making, the rest of his flaws can easily be defended. The proof is in the pudding because after their bye, Derek started progressing into his dominant form. He corrected his decision making by not forcing the ball constantly.

He was always trying to do too much, which is one the of the reasons why he was checking the ball down a lot. He didn’t want to be the reason the team lost a game. Now that he’s gone away from forcing the ball his interceptions took an abrupt halt. Carr has not thrown a pick in eight weeks. That’s absurd for any quarterback and something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. That’s an elite skill right there.

That is why patience with Carr under yet another new regime should be the approach with him. He’s finding his comfort zone in the system. He’s correcting his flaws and is improving as the season goes along.

Let’s not forget that he is doing all of this without Marshawn Lynch, without a true No. 1 receiver, and without consistent pass protection. With everything considered, Derek Carr slander should cease for the season because the guy is simply putting the critics to shame. His elite performance in the win against the Pittsburgh Steelers helps build his case.

For all the criticism Carr gets for not going deep, he deserves praise for what he did against the Steelers. Carr averaged over nine yards per attempt. He was looking to hurt the Steelers. To put them to bed. Maybe he just woke up dangerous that day? Or maybe it’s because it takes time to adjust into a new system, especially without a lot of weapons.

The great Brian Baldinger of NFL Network said it himself last week after the Kansas City Chiefs game. “Derek Carr is back!” That’s high praise coming from a former player and a fantastic film analyst. These six throws that he highlights from Derek Carr above is exactly why he’s proclaiming that he is back.

Derek Carr is still the future of the franchise. Raider nation, let’s not forget that before Carr came into the picture the team was still trying to replace Rich Gannon. I’m not making excuses for Carr, these are simply facts. No other quarterback has dealt with the turn over and dysfunction that Carr has dealt with over the last five years. As he settles in to yet another system, notice how he’s starting to come along.

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Coincidence? I think not. When there is constant change, it’s incredibly difficult to play up to speed. Now that he’s had more time, Carr is starting to look like he has a solid platform.

I have been highly critical of Jon Gruden all season, but the job he has done with Carr is his greatest accomplishment this season. He’s allowing him to be himself, so that he can play with his instincts. Because of it, the Raiders will likely not have to use a first round pick on a quarterback, which is a good thing. The 2019 quarterback draft class isn’t a strong one. The Raiders are better off sticking with Carr, allowing him to further sink his teeth into the system.

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Building around him is the ideal scenario because we have seen what he does when there is continuity around him and weapons. Any slander of Carr at this point can just be looked at as hate. Regardless of your opinion of him, the fact is that Derek Carr is balling and deserves to be viewed as the future.

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