Getty Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.
Over the years, Derek Carr has consistently expressed his love for the Las Vegas Raiders and maintained that he never wants to play for another team. He even took a team-friendly contract with the team this offseason. However, if he had it his way back in 2014, he would’ve never been a Raider.
Coming out of Fresno State, Carr was one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2014 NFL Draft Class. It was considered a weak quarterback class so he fell to the second round where the Raiders were able to take him with the 36th pick. In that draft, the Houston Texans needed a quarterback and had the No. 1 overall pick. Carr’s brother David Carr was the first pick the team ever made so he already had a connection to Houston. Considering David Carr never had success with the team, the Texans drafted Jadeveon Clowney with the No. 1 pick. They had a second chance to draft Carr with the 33rd overall pick but selected offensive lineman Xavier Su’a-Filo.
With the Raiders welcoming the Texans to Las Vegas this Sunday, Carr revealed that he was disappointed that Houston didn’t draft him.
“When I was getting drafted, I wanted to go there,” Carr said of the Texans Wednesday. “They didn’t pick me first [overall], but 33rd? I was like, ‘Maybe 33rd?’ They didn’t want me so I was kind of a little heartbroken over that. But it is what it is. I think nine years down the road, some of those feelings have gone away, you know? But I have the utmost respect for that organization just because of the way they treated my family.”
Things Would Be Very Different for Raiders if Texans Drafted Carr
Since getting drafted by the Raiders, Carr has been the starter for each of the last nine seasons. He’s the franchise leader in every major statistical passing category and figures to be the team’s starting quarterback for at least the next few years. The Raiders haven’t been a great team since drafting Carr but their situation could be even worse if the Texans took him.
Prior to drafting the three-time Pro Bowler, the Raiders were a revolving door at quarterback and hadn’t made the playoffs in over a decade. Carr is still trying to get them to the promised land but he’s certainly a better option than the team constantly cycling through quarterbacks. There is a scenario where the Raiders end up with a player like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen if they don’t have Carr but that’s still unlikely. In the end, the team was fortunate that Carr fell to them.
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Raiders Must Win Against Texans
The Raiders are 1-4 and have the worst record in the AFC. The Texans have the second-worst record in the AFC. If Las Vegas hopes to be a playoff team, they have to win on Sunday. Though the Texans have a better record, they are a rebuilding team that has few star players.
The Raiders made the playoffs last year and added Davante Adams. They are much better than their record would indicate but that’s not going to matter if they finish the season with six wins. If the Raiders can’t beat a weak Texans team, it might be time to start thinking about next season.