Getty Josh McDaniels hugging Dave Ziegler.
The Las Vegas Raiders have won four of their past five games but they dug themselves into too big of a hole to be seriously involved in the playoff race right now. Considering the team made the playoffs last season and made upgrades to the roster this offseason, this year has been a massive disappointment. A lot can happen over the next three games but it’s trending that the team could make serious changes in the offseason.
Perhaps the biggest change could revolve around the quarterback position. Derek Carr has played decently this year but didn’t take the leap that many expected from him once the Raiders added Davante Adams. While there’s a portion of the fan base that is eager to see Carr go, the team won’t make a move unless they know they can upgrade. As fate would have it, there may actually be an upgrade available to the Raiders. Tom Brady is set to be a free agent and he won six Super Bowls with Josh McDaniels. The two could be into the idea of reuniting in Las Vegas. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes that the Raiders are going to try and sign Brady:
I think they’ll make a serious run at Brady. The Raiders don’t need a splashy hire to sell out games in Las Vegas, but adding the greatest player in league history is an economic boon for any team.
Brady’s familiarity with McDaniels and the offense and the impressive group of playmakers are only a bonus. McDaniels already was fired once for getting his quarterback situation wrong in Denver. On top of all that, Brady would probably come at a lower cost than Carr over the next couple of seasons.
Is Brady an Upgrade Over Carr?
Last season, Brady was unquestionably a better quarterback than Carr. He had more touchdown passes, passing yards and a better passer rating. This season, the two have similar numbers. Carr has three more passing touchdowns than Brady and a better quarterback rating. Has Father Time finally caught up with the future Hall of Famer? It’s certainly possible.
At the start of next season, Brady will be 46. Is a 46-year-old Brady better than a 32-year-old Carr? That remains to be seen but it is something that should give the Raiders pause. If Brady doesn’t retire, he has at most two more years before he has to hang up his cleats. He could give the Raiders a short-term boost but their future wouldn’t look too bright. The only way adding Brady works is if Las Vegas decides to draft a young quarterback and groom him to replace Brady.
Tom Brady: popular guy 😅
Carr Can Still Secure Job
Carr didn’t have a perfect game against the New England Patriots on Sunday but he did throw three touchdown passes, including a beautiful game-tying touchdown to Keelan Cole with less than a minute left in the game. Throws like that will go a long way when the Raiders make their decision.
For the last three games, the team faces some tough opponents. The Pittsburgh Steelers are still tough in a down year while the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers have a good chance of facing each other in the Super Bowl. The Raiders don’t need to win the final three games for Carr to secure his job but looking impressive against top competition will only help. Now that Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller are back, there’s no reason the offense can’t show improvement in the coming games.