Oakland Raiders: It is time to put the Derek Carr narrative to rest
By Brad Weiss
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr made his feelings known about who the quarterback of this team is.
The Oakland Raiders were the talk of football for much of the time leading up until the 2019 NFL Draft, thanks mostly to the fact that they held three first round picks. All the talk surrounding the team focused on their quarterback, as many believed the team would move on from former 2014 second round pick Derek Carr.
Well, not only did the Raiders not draft a quarterback in the first round, they did not draft one at all, showing the world that Carr was their guy. Of course, head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock were steadfast in standing behind Carr leading up to the draft, but they had worked out the top quarterbacks in the class in Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins.
Still, when all was said and done, Carr was still the guy in Oakland, and it is my opinion that he should still be the guy when the team moves to Las Vegas. While all of that noise should start back up once the season begins, and especially next offseason, it should be a moot point.
The fact is, Carr is the right guy for this franchise, and should flourish in the upcoming season. Speaking with the media on Tuesday during OTAs, Carr was asked what he thought about all the talk surrounding him being replaced in Oakland, to which he emphatically stated, “this is my team.”
Derek Carr said he received assurances from Raiders brass about his status as franchise QB before draft. Believed there was a “negative 47% chance” team would take one. “I’m not going anywhere. This is my team, and it will be for the next however long I want to play.” pic.twitter.com/DC9uRzbCPP
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) May 21, 2019
Of course, Carr can say whatever he likes to the media, but the fact it, this same narrative is going to be pushed out next offseason. On Tuesday, Carr looked very sharp working with his new weapons, including Tyrell Williams, who stepped into the No. 1 wideout role with Antonio Brown missing this voluntary part of the offseason.
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The bottom line is, when he is healthy, Carr has shown that he has the ability to be an MVP-level quarterback in the NFL. The offensive line is better, his weapons are much-improved, and being in the same offense for the second year in a row, this could end up being the best season of Carr’s career.