The Carr is on the move.
An inevitable parting of the roads for Derek Carr and the Las Vegas Raiders gives both sides a much-needed reset. For the Raiders, they get a new QB that Head Coach Josh McDaniels can either develop or begin working with (depending on the route the team goes). For Carr, it gives him a new change of scenery to show that he’s an elite QB in the league.
But is Derek Carr a good option for whichever team snags him up?
To get an answer, it’s easiest to compare his situation to that of a similar one: Matthew Stafford on the Detroit Lions.
When the statistics are presented, it’s actually quite shocking.
Stafford on the Lions: 273.4 YPG, 89.9 Passer Rating, and a 74-90-1 record.
Carr on the Raiders: 248 YPG, 91.8 Passer Rating, and a 63-79 record.
So why is it that Stafford is seen as an elite QB in the wrong place, but Carr is just an average QB who will never win “the big one?”
Stafford has also had significantly more help than Carr, and as soon as Stafford got out of Detroit, he won a Super Bowl! Who’s to say Carr can’t do the same?
Derek Carr has never had the help. While that’s mostly an excuse, it’s impossible to deny for Carr. He’s the seventh most sacked QB since 2015. The Raiders swung and missed on more draft picks than any other team in that time as well. The team traded the one good supporting piece they drafted in Amari Cooper, and names like Kolton Miller, Henry Ruggs, and Alex Leatherwood not panning out doesn’t make Carr’s job any easier.
Just when you think it couldn’t get worse, let’s discuss the Raiders’ defense. The draft picks don’t get any better. They traded away a star in Khalil Mack, and Karl Joseph, Gareon Conley, Clelin Ferrell, Jonathan Abram, and Damon Arnette all contributed to Las Vegas not having a top-20 defense during Carr’s tenure.
The Raiders essentially threw the team on Carr’s shoulders, and there are only a few QBs who can actually make up for this lack of talent. He is by no means a perfect QB, but when put into the right situation, he can get the job done.
The Panthers, Jets, and Saints are all reportedly interested in signing Carr, and any of those situations will be much better than the situation in Las Vegas. Give Carr the keys, and he’ll drive these teams down the right path.
So yes, Derek Carr is good.
