Raiders QB Derek Carr has had a terrific career up until this point, but as he enters Year 9, with so much talent around him, he may just be getting started.
Drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr has proven to be just what the Raiders franchise has needed. After wallowing with a revolving door at quarterback for years, Carr stepped right in as the starter as a rookie and has not looked back since.
Sure, there has been a lot of losing, and more coaches than one can count, but through it all, Carr has remained a constant. Since that 2014 season, Carr has rewritten the Raiders record book in terms of the quarterback spot, and he enters Year 9 with more talent around him than he has ever had.
From weapons on offense to elite players on all three levels of the defense, the Raiders are loaded in their quest for a repeat spot in the playoffs, and Carr, in terms of his production, could just be getting started.
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Last season, Carr had a terrific year despite losing his WR1 early on, and his star tight end, Darren Waller, due to injury. He proceeded to throw for over 4,800 yards, once again completed nearly 70 percent of his passes, and led the team to ten wins, including four in a row to end the regular season to clinch their playoff spot.
With Davante Adams in the fold, his former college teammate and best friend, you have to believe Carr will improve on those gaudy statistics. His first 5,000-yard season has to be coming, and now that he has multiple elite weapons to choose from, including Adams, Waller, and Hunter Renfrow, teams are going to find it very difficult to gameplan against this offense.
After playing at a very high level already in his career, he may just be entering a stretch where the numbers pop off the page.
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The truth is, the Raiders play in the hardest division in football, and Carr has the talent around him to not only make this the best offense in the AFC West but a top-5 unit in football. Las Vegas also is starting to win more than they lose, and that is a testament to Carr sticking it out through the lean years, and now reaping the benefits of playing for a winner.