Although other positions on the Las Vegas Raiders roster needed more upgrading, it was quarterback that got plenty of attention in the offseason. The Silver and Black kept their vision under wraps and were secretive about their plans. Now that training camp is over, the whole picture has become more clear.
Derek Carr leads the Raiders quarterback room and the offense
Derek Carr played well in 2109, there’s no way around that. The quarterback completed 361 of 513 passes for 4,054 yards and 21 touchdowns. Moreover, he became the second player in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards, less than 10 interceptions, and a completion percentage over 70.0. On the other hand, it sometimes felt dependant on his supporting cast and not the other way around.
Great quarterbacks are supposed to make all players around him better. The leader of the offense has to get the best out of everyone and hold every player accountable. That hasn’t always seemed to be the case with Carr and instead, he’ll be good as the talent around him. For that reason, it wasn’t surprising to hear the Raiders were shopping him at the NFL Scouting Combine.
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Training camp gave us some answers
The fact the Raiders signed quarterback Marcus Mariota in free agency made the Raiders’ plans at the position even more confusing. Was the former Titan to partake in a training camp battle? Was the Raiders’ trust in Carr dwindling? Now with training camp over, we have the answer.
Mariota wasn’t much of a threat to Carr in training camp and the Oregon standout failed to impress in the Summer. Whether he struggled to pick up the offense or isn’t fully healthy, he will back up Carr. Nathan Peterman is the third-string quarterback but won’t likely see the field unless something catastrophic happens. Heading into Week 1, Carr is the Raiders starting quarterback. In order for him to succeed, the team provided him with plenty of weapons this offseason.
The Raiders drafted Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards in the draft and signed Nelson Agholor in free agency. Moreover, Hunter Renfrow, Rico Gafford, and Zay Jones should continue their development. Last season, Carr only threw 12 passing touchdowns to their wide receivers, with an improved unit, that number should go up in 2020.
The Raiders Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers is a few days away and Carr will be the starter at quarterback. After a very unusual offseason, he will continue leading the Silver and Black’s offense for the seventh straight year.
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