The Las Vegas Raiders have lots of new faces on offense but there is one player at each position group with more to prove than the others.
Training camp starts this week for the Las Vegas Raiders and with it comes the chance for many players to prove they deserve either a starting spot or even just a spot on the roster. In the case of many of the positions on the Raiders offense, the starting place is already spoken for but those starters still have plenty to prove in 2021.
We take a look at the player at each position group on the Raiders offense that has the most to prove and we start with the face of the franchise in QB Derek Carr.
Las Vegas Raiders: Player with most to prove at each offensive position in 2021
Quarterback: Derek Carr
Derek Carr had the best statistical season of his career in 2020, but unfortunately for him and the Raiders, the team missed the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Carr’s doubters had a little less ammo than in previous years because of his high level of play but they could still point to the fumble issues, a couple stinkers against Atlanta and Indianapolis, and the lack of postseason football as reasons why the Raiders need to replace him.
These same doubters hoped that the team would move on from him this offseason in a trade, depending on when in the offseason you asked, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, or Aaron Rodgers. None of those moves came to fruition and instead the doubters will have to watch Derek Carr as QB1 in Las Vegas for at least one more season.
Carr is under contract through 2022, but the team could move on from him after this season if they choose to, and if they do, trade is much more likely than simply releasing him. He has said this offseason that he would likely retire rather than play for another team, but that remains to be seen.
The veteran QB appears to have a great relationship with Jon Gruden and the organization has shown that they don’t listen much to outside noise so an extension appears much more likely than a move away from the Raiders. Still, Derek Carr has to prove once again that he is capable of leading this team to the playoffs and possibly a deep playoff run.
He is still relatively young for a QB at just 30 but the clock is ticking on his contract and Raider Nation is hungry for some real success.