The Las Vegas Raiders are entering year three of head coach Jon Gruden’s tenure. After failing to post a winning season the last two years, it’s fair to wonder who’s in risk of being shown the door. Could it be quarterback Derek Carr? What about head coach Jon Gruden? Let’s not forget about defensive coordinator Paul Guenther.
There are many questions surrounding the Raiders ahead of the 2020 season
After some uncertainty, it looks like we will have an NFL season. Now that football is on the way, Raider Nation can start asking if this will be the Carr’s year. Will the potential he showed in his first three years resurface? What about the backup position, how will Carr fare with Marcus Mariota on the roster?
On the defensive side of the ball, Paul Guenther finally has plenty of talent to work with. Nevertheless, defensive line coach Rod Marinelli can take his place if he underperforms. Finally, this one might be a little bit more far-fetched, but what will happen if Jon Gruden fails? Let’s take a look at each one.
Why should the Raiders keep quarterback Derek Carr?
We all know Carr’s stats on cold weather and they simply do not add up. He has won one of 10 games with temperatures under 50 degrees. He has managed to get the tenth most comebacks with 18 in six seasons.
There are two ways to look at it. If the Raiders have come back from behind, it’s because they were losing to begin with. On the other hand, the defense hasn’t helped matters. Plenty of times, they have placed the onus on Carr and the offense to win the game. However, Carr is making over $20 million, and should put his team in better spots to win games.
We aren’t trying to justify Carr, but the Raiders haven’t given him the best hand to play with. The quarterback hasn’t looked the same since he broke his leg in 2016. Part of that also seems to be not just reluctance, but losing Bill Musgrave seems to have affected him as they had a groove going. All in all, this is year seven and he needs to produce on the field.Â
So how hot is Carr’s seat?
Mariota is there, but there are no reasons to think Carr is in danger of being demoted. Carr has been with the team longer, and Mariota is still learning an offense in the midst of a pandemic. Carr can step up and have a great season with a better wide receiver group. The offensive line will do its job and will keep him straight. This is it, Carr’s seat is hot to the point where he will need to show his worth before it smolders.
Related:Â Is Raiders QB Derek Carr Too Predictable?
