The Las Vegas Raiders have been active throughout free agency and finally focused on improving areas that have hindered the organization for a while. However, a national writer thinks there’s a creeping weakness that can set them back instead of helping them and Derek Carr get over the hill.
Freeman May Be Onto Something
Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report recently shared his opinion about the transactions NFL teams have made in free agency. He didn’t mince words about the Raiders:
Derek Carr is still there, but the Raiders signed a junior Derek Carr in Marcus Mariota anyway. What that means is that the franchise will likely have the same problem they did last year: subpar quarterback play. Stock: Way down.
While it’s true the Raiders quarterback position has been shrouded by a lack of continuity and inefficiency for a while, I wouldn’t just sell stock just yet. It’s true that Carr has the tools to play better – he could start by not throwing the ball away on fourth down – but he isn’t solely responsible for the team’s failure to have just one winning season in the last 15 years. He should definitely definitely make the team around him better, but the truth is that it wasn’t until last year the team showed resemblance of a vision and direction.
Related:Â Marcus Mariota Predicted to Lead Raiders Back to Playoffs?
Derek Carr and the future…
It wasn’t until last season that Raiders brass started hoarding talent. With building blocks in Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller and a solid offensive line, Las Vegas can now surround Carr with the final pieces of a winning squad. It’s been said he didn’t have weapons, that won’t be the case anymore and if he comes up short, the team would have enough weapons at their disposal to aid whoever takes his place.
The Raiders would need Mitch Trubisky level play at quarterback to regress and if they get a true number one wide receiver in the draft and Tyrell Williams stays healthy, Las Vegas may be able to field a competent team on a constant basis. They were able to finish the season 7-9 with Carr at the helm. With more talent all around, the Raiders can get a better record in spite of him.
At this point of his career, Carr isn’t playing elite football. Nonetheless, the Raiders are building a good enough team that can contend if he steps up his game and competent enough to thrive if he fails. Either way, the Raiders won’t be worse than their 2019 counterpart.
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Carr was not the problem, elite receivers and dropped balls were the problem. Carr’s stats speak for themself.
Writers trying to generate stories who are misinformed is the problem!
Mike Freeman is the same idiot blogger he has always been. He makes statements just to be controversial and critical. But I cannot blame him since his 6th grade, prosaic writing style is so boring and uninformed that nobody would read him otherwise. I note he has never written for a publication that requires paid subscriptions.
If anyone knows Mike Freeman ask him why he resigned from the Indianapolis Star and how his college degree is going. What a joke.
I don’t know how many times I need to say this.
Carr was in the top 10 in every single QB stat except TD’s last season. Yes, look it up. Rating over 100, 4000+ yards, 8th best completion percentage in the history of the NFL, Yards per Attempt, 40+ yard completions, 20+ yard completions…how in the hell can anyone call that “sub par” playing. Especially with the revolving door they had at WR last season. If I’m remembering correctly, they only suited up the same starting receiver group no more than 2 weeks in a row. Yet, Carr still put up numbers.
WR, CB, LB, G are all waaaaaay more important positions to fill.
Multi year pro bowl QB, in the running for league MVP when given at least functional group of WR’s, currently a top 10 QB in many areas, and this guy says they can Win in spite of the QB situation…….LOL…..Imagine what Carr could do if he played on a team that actually had a NFL defense and….Guys who write crap like this need to find a new line of work…
Obviously whoever this clown is didn’t watch the Raiders last year or doesn’t understand football.
If my competency level was the same as this ” throw dart hit word” test dummy. I would be dead right now. I am a High Rise Window Cleaner and could come up with a better story as I fell to my death. Hell the blood splatter would make more sense.
😂😂😂 Put your money where your mouth is and write an article then, we’ll happily publish it ðŸ™ðŸ¤™
Tired of everyone placing blame on Carr. I understand we had problems in the red zone, but has anyone stop to think of the shitty play calling and not to mention that our Defense couldn’t stop a baby crawling. Give a DC a chance to open up the offense and I guarantee, we have a playoff run!!! Just draft Baby!!!
Carr is decent but nothing special. Funny that people want to bring up stats but don’t bring up that the Raiders offense under Carr have consistently struggled to score points. Mike Freeman is a joke and I take what he says with a grain of salt, but Carr has many glaring flaws and absolutely should shoulder some of the blame for the raiders poor offense. He does not elevate the team and is not a qb who can take a good team over the top. I don’t want to dump Carr for another game manager but if we have a shot at a true gamechanger at QB like Tua or Burrow then we have to pull the trigger. The Chiefs had Alex Smith who was a solid qb and they chose to trade up and draft Mahomes and now they are superbowl Champs.
Two things hurt the Raiders in 2019:
Antonio Clown turned out to be a bonafide whacked out doofus.
Williams, their best WR, developed plantar fasciitis which definitely decreased his playing ability.
These coupled with a very inept defense would make most QB’s look bad. Interesting how most that complain about Carr have very short memories.
Freeman you are an idiot ! Lame ass article ! You couldn’t hold Carr’s jock strap!
Leave Carr be for I fact you never played QB in the NFL but yet you believe yourself right. Not by a long shot you didn’t train like these guys all their lives to be in exclusive club, for not everyone can do it. All you critics think your hot s*** because you statistical readings, but you are not their in real time to see how physical that game is you wouldn’t last and neither would I. These guys have studied and sweat, hardship, work, while enduring punishing blows too their bodies love for the game and of a chance for big money. While they are entertaining Joe fan!!!!!
He’s paid big bucks to play and the least he should worry about is what other people say. Besides, don’t you think he’s a grown man and can stand up for himself?
Um he’s not onto anything. QB play was obviously not the problem. That guy has no clue
Despite QB situation? Let me tell you right now, it will Because of the QB situation not despite! Why do you think there were teams lined up for Carr when all the nonsense Brady rumors were circulating! Come on can someone please put an end to hack journalism, please? Maybe you??
This idiot writer Freeman don’t know Jack s*** when it comes to the Raiders! Quit looking at stats and going off media bullshit and actually watch some Raiders games jack ass Freeman! JUSTWINBABY!
I think throwing the ball away is partially a gruden call and after he broke his leg and came back didn’t he get sacked like 50 times so of course he focused on short routes to get rid of the ball and if I’m not mistaken didn’t he get a back fracture too that with the inability to run the ball and no true deep threats he could trust would lead to being a little more timid and maybe fast on the trigger then toss in the pressure gruden absolutely puts on the QB not to mention after the MVP caliber year they switched OC Carr isn’t terrible solid numbers needs to get confidence back. Think of all the extra work in with AB in the off season that went to waste if all that extra time was spent with the guys there the chemistry would be different. I think coop was a great receiver but started cracking under the gruden pressure he’s definitely not Tim brown or Jerry rice hell not even a solid Porter let Carr have that trust in a deep threat and know he’s got his blanket s under and watch especially since they can keep him upright and pound the rock now consistently.
This is a bullshit hit piece for shock value. Nobody in their right mind believes that Derek Carr is the reason for Raider failures last season. Give the man some healthy receivers that can get open. Same people falling or backing this bull crap article are same people blaming the President for China Virus.