If you’ve been following social media the last 48 hours, you’ve become familiar with all the hearsay that’s been surrounding Las Vegas Raiders. We’re talking about the elephant in the room obviously, quarterback Derek Carr and Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Well, we’re here to tell you that ‘DC4’ isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and there are a few reasons why.
The Raiders have had an efficient offense since Jon Gruden returned to the Silver and Black in 2018, thanks largely to Derek Carr’s methodical ways. Is it elite level quarterback play? Well, there are many opinions on this matter.
Some will say Derek Carr is a top ten to five quarterback in the NFL, others say he’s merely an average signal-caller who’s played for a mediocre franchise, hence the over-inflation of his stats.
By over inflation I mean the standard set by the Raiders, who haven’t had record-setting quarterbacks since the 1970s. Derek Carr supporters often point to his records as proof of his status in the NFL, but would the same stance work if he were playing in another franchise?
That notwithstanding, Carr has shown since 2016 he’s not necessarily the issue with the Raiders. He’s thrown for 117 touchdowns since the team’s last winning season, while his interceptions totaled 46. When you put into perspective what the Silver and Black has had at quarterback since Rich Gannon retired, what more do you really want from Carr?
Derek Carr’s superb handling of an offense that has seen constant turnover should be acknowledged, not condemned. Yes, he’s had Gruden for three years now, but at what point will people start to realize that the coach might be the problem, not Carr. Conservative play calling with the inability to take advantage of its players such as Henry Ruggs III is concerning.
As far as the conjecture, besides Carr’s play, there’s another reason the Raiders won’t pull the trigger on such a blockbuster trade involving Watson.