While some fans believe quarterback Derek Carr will return to his 2016 form and lead the Las Vegas Raiders back to the postseason, one NFL assistant believes there’s another quarterback who could possibly have a better shot.
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It’s unlikely that general manager Mike Mayock would sign a free agent quarterback at this point. However, at least one NFL assistant says that Cam Newton is the answer for the Raiders. Speaking to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, the unnamed coach said, “They’d make the playoffs with him at quarterback.”
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However, keep in mind that same coach said Newton’s most likely landing spot is Miami. Unless Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden have something big planned, such as trading away Carr for picks, signing Cam would be unrealistic as the Raiders already signed Marcus Mariota and would presumably have a rookie backup in the wings.
None of this is a knock on Newton, he’s a former NFL MVP, Rookie of the Year, and three-time Pro Bowler. Carr, whether his ardent supporters and family will admit it or not, is none of those. The issue here is Newton’s injury history, which has left many wary of signing him. Just look at the quarterbacks that have been picked up ahead of him. The shoulder injury and the Lisfranc fracture are no joke but hypothetically speaking, he’d have great protection with the Raiders. A renewed running game, a plethora of good tight ends, and a potential rookie number one wide receiver could reinvigorate his career.
Even with financial flexibility after some cap maneuvering, this is a highly unlikely scenario. The more realistic idea for 2020 will be that the Raiders surround Carr with so much talent he can’t screw it up, not to mention a stacked defense once the draft is finished.
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