Las Vegas Raiders: New weapons loving what they see from Derek Carr
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders are rolling with Derek Carr for an eighth season in 2021, and his new weapons love what they see from him so far.
Heading into the 2021 NFL season, there is a lot of pressure on Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. While the statistics have been there since Jon Gruden’s return to the sidelines, the Silver and Black still have not made the playoffs, a place Carr has never taken a snap in across his soon-to-be eight NFL seasons.
However, there are many reasons why he has not taken a snap in the playoffs, including his leg snapping in Week 16 back in 2016, a year many felt the Raiders would make a deep run. Still, the pressure is there, and it seems the organization has gone above and beyond to surround him with solid talent for the 2021 campaign.
Some of those new faces are loving what they are seeing from No. 4.
Raiders new weapons loving their new quarterback
Since coming into the league in 2019, running back Josh Jacobs has had to carry the load for the Raiders, as the team has brought in a bunch of players to back him up. In 2021, they seem to have a long-term answer for that role, as Kenyan Drake was handed a nice contract to join the Silver and Black.
Drake is getting his first look at his new quarterback, and on Wednesday, the talented Vic Tafur from The Athletic tweeted this out:
Drake said Derek Carr has “uncanny arm strength” and “commands respect and attention” from teammates. Loved getting to know him - after watching from afar - at a cookout that Carr had for new teammates. #Raiders
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) June 9, 2021
That is pretty solid respect from Drake, who is expected to play a key role for the Raiders in 2021. Though the RB2 behind Josh Jacobs, Gruden has said he plans to use Drake all over the field and is already developing a nice rapport with Carr.
Not only have the new weapons been impressed by Carr’s physical abilities, but also the way he carries himself per Paul Gutierrez from ESPN.
#Raiders WR John Brown says Derek Carr is a "Man of God." Also appreciates his work ethic.
— Paul Gutierrez (@PGutierrezESPN) June 9, 2021
Say what you want about Carr, but the narrative that he is not a team-guy, and his teammates think he is a phony just is not true. Neither is the narrative that he is not Gruden’s guy, as the team has done everything they can to put him in a position to succeed over the past three offseason.
Now is the time for him to reward the franchise with a playoff berth.
The truth is, Carr was not the problem last season, as the defense was atrocious, and could not get off the field far too often. While the offensive line is new, the Raiders should be outstanding on that side of the ball, and the new skill guys seem to be very excited about their new signal-caller.