6 players the Las Vegas Raiders cannot afford to see opt out
Derek Carr, Quarterback
No matter what your feelings are when it comes to seventh-year starting quarterback Derek Carr, the fact is, the team cannot afford to see him opt out this season. Playing quarterback in a Jon Gruden offense is hard enough, let alone coming in and learning it during a pandemic.
This is going to be an interesting offseason, as teams will have restrictions due to COVID-19, and that is going to change the way everything looks from a player, and coach prespective. While Marcus Mariota is more than capable of coming in and starting for the Raiders at some point, it would be a tall task for him to come in and navigate this offense during their tough opening slate.
No team can afford to see their starting quarterback decide to miss the 2020 season due to coronavirus, and the Raiders are no different. The team has made a concerted effort to build around him this offseason, bringing in wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends, while ensuring his starting offensive line returns for 2020 as well.
Carr is coming off back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons, and finished second to only Drew Brees in terms of completion percentage last season despite having a rash of injuries at wide receiver. He has been the leader of this team all offseason, getting guys together for workouts, and having him miss the season would be a tough one for the Raiders.