Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr should sit out 2021 preseason opener
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders kick off their 2021 preseason against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, and Derek Carr should sit this one out.
Las Vegas Raiders football is on the horizon, as the team kicks off their 2021 preseason slate this Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks. For many players in camp, this is their first chance to show that they belong on the regular-season roster, and there are also some key position battles with starting jobs up for grabs.
At quarterback, the position is set in stone to kick off the 2021 campaign, as Derek Carr will begin his eighth season as the starting quarterback of the franchise. While the home fans would love to get a look at No. 4 against Seattle, it is my opinion that Carr should sit this one out.
Adam Hill of Las Vegas Review-Journal put a piece together discussing Carr’s status for Saturday’s game against Seattle, and how much he plans on playing. While Carr was non-commital, stating it was Gruden’s decision, the truth is, he should not play a down during this game.
Carr still developing chemistry with the WR group
This offseason, Nelson Agholor left for New England, and the Raiders brought in Willie Snead and John Brown as veterans to soften the blow. However, this season’s success at wide receiver will be judged by the development of Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards, two wideouts entering their second season in the NFL.
Carr and his group of wide receivers have been working tirelessly on chemistry, and while he should get some time in the preseason to work on it during game situations, Saturday night is not the answer. There are only three preseason games this season, as the regular season moves to 17-games, so I would not even be made if the next time we see Carr under center is in Week 1.
Carr has mastered Jon Gruden’s offense, and while he does need to develop some game chemistry, the team should wait until preseason game No. 2, and even then, only give him a handful of series. There is nothing to be gained from him playing in the preseason, and the more teams see Marcus Mariota, the more of a chance the Raiders have of possibly finding a trade partner for him.