Derek Carr: The Oakland Raiders’ treasure
By Robert Judin
After years of futility the Oakland Raiders have found a franchise quarterback in Derek Carr.
Finding a quarterback capable of leading an NFL team to the playoffs is very tough hurdle to get over. Most teams spend years clipping their feet on the obstacle before face-planting and ending up as a YouTube sensation.
Vivid analogies aside, securing a franchise quarterback in the NFL Draft is damn near improbable. It’s so easy for things to go wrong. Maybe you find the right player but don’t have the right coaches and situation needed for him to develop into “the guy.”
It happens all the time.
In 2014, we were obsessed with the quarterback draft class. The Jacksonville Jaguars, enamored with his sudden rise to stardom, took Blake Bortles third overall — making him the hometown star from UCF. It made sense.
At No. 22, the Cleveland Browns took a chance on Johnny Manziel, and we all know how that’s unfolded. Manziel is backing up Josh McCown, and doesn’t appear to have a chance at the starting job anytime soon.
And then the Minnesota Vikings traded back into the first-round to take the studious, commanding Teddy Bridgewater at No. 32 overall. Bridgewater seems to be the quarterback of the future for the Vikings, but there was one guy lost in the shuffle during that 2014 draft.
While those three quarterbacks all went in the first round, the guy who deserved to be drafted ahead of all of them was forced to settle for a second-round selection.
With the fourth pick in the second round (No. 36 overall), the Oakland Raiders took a chance on Derek Carr out of Fresno State. Many tried to compare Carr to his brother, David, who was a former No. 1 overall pick by the Houston Texans. David was cursed by a horrific offensive line on an expansion team and was baptized by blitz.
The younger Carr had a different persona though. What’s telling about him are his pre-snap abilities. Out of the four quarterbacks, only Bridgewater could rival Carr’s ability to locate and dissect a defense before even taking the snap. Combine that with his tall presence in the pocket and quick, high delivery, and he was something to behold. Even Stevie Wonder could tell you the kid’s arm strength was top-notch, so that wasn’t even worth discussing.
But Carr just never got the pre-draft love he deserved.
And as a rookie, he was still snubbed by the media. Carr threw for 3,270 yards, 21 touchdowns (to just 12 interceptions), completed 58 percent of his passes and was sacked just 24 times. He did all of this without any weapons on a stagnant Raiders squad that finished 3-13.
There’s a funny thing about an NFL locker room, though. If you look closely enough, you can see the future — sort of like reading a crystal ball. And while the locker rooms for Jacksonville, Cleveland and Minnesota were all shouting “ask again later,” Oakland’s was hyping up Carr’s leadership qualities.
After adding Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree in the offseason, the Raiders are now vying for a spot as a Wild Card team. They’re the type of team that loses to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos by six points instead of 36 points.
Carr has 1,311 passing yards, eight touchdowns and three picks through five games. But the most vital piece of information is that he’s in complete control of the locker room. The Raiders have been searching for an identity for years — specifically since Rich Gannon left them high and dry.
In Carr, they finally have that identity. The Raiders are his team. It’s undebatable, irrefutable, and frankly kind of exhilarating. Carr not only has a chance to lead the Raiders back to the postseason, but he has an opportunity to headline a class of young, talented quarterbacks.
He and Cooper have the potential of forming the type of connection that Manning had with Marvin Harrison or like Jerry Rice had with Joe Montana/Steve Young.
Don’t play a fool to the not-so-sexy numbers Carr is putting up right now. Over time he will continue to develop, and the touchdown numbers will steadily climb.
Can you guess which other quarterback led his team to a 3-13 record after being thrown into the starting job during his rookie season? It’s the same guy who threw a record 28 interceptions: Peyton Manning. Manning led the Colts to a 13-3 record in his second year but threw just 28 touchdowns with 15 interceptions.
Now, I don’t want to be “that” guy who puts all his money on double zero and throws middle fingers to the wind by saying Carr will be the next Manning. But there are a lot of similarities between the two – poise in the pocket and command of the huddle, for example. Carr also possesses excellent mobility, which Manning never had.
Again, the key here is development. With Jack Del Rio solidifying Oakland’s defense — having Khalil Mack certainly helps — Carr will be put into situations to win, and won’t feel like he has to do everything.
Carr will end up being the best quarterback from that 2014 class. Within five years, he will lead the Raiders to the playoffs, and be looked upon as one of the best young quarterbacks in the game. It’s only a matter of time.