The 2019 season was supposed to be a make-it or break-it year for Derek Carr to see if he would play well enough and take that next step to remain with the team for many more years to come.
That didn’t happen, and now the team might have a new starting quarterback as they move into their new home in Las Vegas in 2020.
According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, “The Raiders could be moving on from starting quarterback Derek Carr this offseason, with several team sources sensing a growing frustration with the veteran by the coaching staff, and concerns about how much potential for growth remains.”
“I don’t believe Jon [Gruden] sees enough high-end upside there, and at this point you would have to think Carr is what he is,” a source told La Canfora.
Per that report, Gruden “has become a champion of the uber-athletic passers that have punctuated the NCAA game, and he stands uniquely poised to grab one should the Raiders become sufficiently enticed.”
The 28-year-old has never been able to recover the magic he had during the 2016 season where he threw for 3,937 yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions in 15 games, completing 63.8 percent of his passes before he broke his leg.
In his defense, he has not been terrible in 2019, racking up 3,663 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 71 percent of his passes, but the team is just 7-8. Although, their playoff hopes still remain alive going into the final game of the season.
La Canfora noted, “Gruden and Carr have a solid relationship, the sources said, but there are concerns about not extending plays with the legs when possible, and Oakland has also struggled to push the ball downfield.”
Carr also “isn’t by nature a gunslinger or a big-time playmaker; those characteristics resonate heavily with Gruden.”
