As the debates around Derek Carr continue to swirl on the internet, where does he rank among the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders’ passers since 2000?
5. Terrelle Pryor
The last player ever drafted by the legendary Al Davis, Terrelle Pryor, was an exciting addition when selected in the third round of the supplemental draft. One of the most highly touted high school recruits of all time, Pryor dominated at Ohio State due to a cannon arm and unreal athletic ability. On the Raiders, however, he struggled often. In his three years with Oakland, his quarterback record was 3-8. He threw for 1,953 yards over those seasons, with nine touchdowns to twelve interceptions. His 93-yard touchdown run against the Steelers is still the longest in NFL history by a quarterback. While he was not a very good player by any means, he gave Raiders fans some exciting moments.
4. Jason Campbell
If you asked many Raiders fans which quarterback from the time between Rich Gannon and Carr is their favorite, many would likely say Campbell. Acquired from Washington in 2010, he was compared to legendary Jim Plunkett by owner Al Davis. However, it didn’t quite play out this way for Campbell as he dealt with some horrid Raiders teams and untimely injuries. However, he recorded 3,557 yards for nineteen touchdowns and twelve interceptions in sixteen games in Oakland. While his time with the Raiders was not long, his teams went 11-7.
3. Carson Palmer
After losing Jason Campbell in the middle of the season, the Raiders made a trade for Carson Palmer, who was then with the Cincinnati Bengals. A USC legend, Palmer’s California homecoming did not go well for the Raiders in the win column with an 8-16 record. However, the losses were rarely the fault of the quarterback during this time. With 6,771 yards and 35 touchdowns over those 24 games, Palmer recorded some impressive statistical seasons for some lowly Raiders teams. While he was acquired through one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history, he gave Oakland respectability at quarterback, which was sorely lacking at the time.
2. Derek Carr
Possibly the most polarizing player in Raiders history, Derek Carr is also one of the most consistent. The starter since the first game of his rookie season, Carr is now the Raiders’ all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Known for his many come-from-behind wins, Carr will always be remembered throughout Raiders history for leading the Raiders to a 12-4 record in 2016. He even got into the MVP conversation before his leg injury. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Carr’s Raiders teams just simply have not won enough games. While it is never fair to pin a win/loss record solely on the quarterback, his 54-70 record sticks with him. With a chance to put the Raiders in the playoffs in 2021, Carr still has plenty of time to add to his resume.
1. Rich Gannon
In a super tight race with Carr, I’m giving the nod to Rich Gannon. A journeyman before he landed in Oakland, Gannon flourished under then-head coach Jon Gruden. Gannon spent six seasons in Oakland but was injured for much of the last two. In those first four, however, he recorded 15,787 passing yards to go along with a 105/44 TD/INT ratio. In addition to those numbers, he was a four-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro, and the 2002 NFL MVP. He was also able to lead the Raiders to their first Super Bowl berth since 1984. With a win/loss record of 45/29, the Raiders were just too dominant under Gannon to give this spot to anyone else.
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