Jon Gruden is a brilliant hire for the Raiders, and here’s why
2. Gruden has a relationship with Carr already
Back in 2014 when Derek Carr was preparing for the draft, he got the opportunity to work with Gruden. For those who do not know, Gruden runs a yearly event called Gruden’s QB Camp in which he works with the best quarterback prospects and helps them prepare for the professional game. During that workout, Gruden was very impressed with Carr. Now, that does not mean anything really as he typically is infatuated with every prospect in the draft, but he was impressed nonetheless.
However, it does mean that Gruden is familiar with Carr and some of his tendencies. In addition, with his experience in coaching quarterbacks throughout the years, Gruden may be able to fully unlock Carr and tap into his full potential. Carr had a bad 2017 campaign and took a huge step back in his growth. With Gruden’s knowledge about quarterbacks, perhaps he will be able to steer him back on course.
In addition, it seemed as though Carr had an affinity for Gruden as well. During their meeting, Carr said, “Let’s go win some championships together”. That is not indicative of anything, but it does add to the excitement of them working together. Carr needs somebody to keep him accountable and help him iron out all of the little details that were overlooked this season.
If there is a mutual respect and admiration between the two, they could become a very dangerous combination in the NFL. Gruden has stayed up on tape and prospects because of his job with ESPN, with the knowledge he has picked up along the way, Gruden could be the man to finally unleash Carr.