Getty Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
A lot of things are going right for Derek Carr this offseason. Not only did the Las Vegas Raiders give him a three-year contract extension, but they also traded for his close friend Davante Adams. That’s not to mention that the team hired Josh McDaniels as head coach who is known to be great with quarterbacks.
The offensive line is still a major area of concern but there’s no questioning that Carr has the best weapons that he’s had in his career. The quarterback had his first annoyance in months when UFC president Dana White came out and said that the Raiders were close to replacing him with Tom Brady in 2020. Luckily for Carr, former head coach Jon Gruden backed out of the deal and decided to stick with his quarterback.
Brady went on to win a Super Bowl with the Tampa Buccaneers that year while the Raiders missed the playoffs. Las Vegas is likely better off in the long term with Carr but Brady could’ve led to more short-term success. Regardless, the Raiders are happy with their quarterback. However, this will only add pressure on Carr. Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Hall of Famer Michael Irvin had some strong words for Carr on ESPN’s “First Take.”
“There is no more excuse for you,” Irvin said. “You have to show up right now.”
.@michaelirvin88 on Derek Carr being under pressure after Jon Gruden nixed a deal to sign Tom Brady to the Raiders in 2020:
“There is no more excuse for you. You have to show up right now.”
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No Excuses for Carr
Irvin’s comments are too strong as there’s no reason to believe Brady would’ve had much more success with the same Raiders team that Carr was on. However, he is correct about the quarterback having no excuses this season. He’s got three Pro Bowl targets to throw to in Hunter Renfrow, Adams and Darren Waller. He also has a Pro Bowl running back in Josh Jacobs to go with an elite playcaller in McDaniels.
The only possible excuse would be the offensive line. The group could be really bad this season but they still have a very good left tackle in Kolton Miller. Outside of some possible pass-blocking issues, Carr has everything going for him this season.
Can Carr Handle the Pressure?
There is certainly ample pressure on Carr this season. Everything is finally going right for him and he finally played in his first playoff game last year. Anything less than winning a playoff game will be considered a disappointment. That’s easier said than done considering the Raiders play in the AFC West which is the toughest division in the NFL.
Carr proved last year that he can handle a lot of pressure. Getting the Raiders to the playoffs was an extraordinary feat considering the season they had. If the team can stay healthy, Carr should have his best season yet. If they struggle, it’s hard to imagine it will all be on Carr. He just needs to control what he can control and the Raiders should be one of the toughest teams to beat in the league.
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