Things are going well for Derek Carr this offseason. Not only did he get a big three-year contract extension, but the Las Vegas Raiders also traded for Davante Adams and extended Hunter Renfrow. The team also hired an offensive-minded head coach in Josh McDaniels. He’s got to be thrilled with the direction of the franchise after years of dysfunction.
However, Carr still faces his fair share of critics. Many have come out and said it was a mistake for Adams to request a trade to the Raiders and ditch Aaron Rodgers. While the back-to-back MVP is on a different level than Carr, he’s also nearing the end of his career while Adams should have several years left.
Rodgers’ former teammate and Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre had a chance to give his thoughts on Adams wanting a trade to the Raiders. He thinks it was a mistake due to the comparison between Carr and Rodgers.
“It’s just hard to shift gears,” Favre told TMZ, “especially from a player as prolific as Aaron Rodgers. I think Derek Carr is a very good quarterback. But, he’s not in Aaron’s league yet. May never be. And, that’s no disrespect.”
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Colin Cowherd Disagrees With Favre
It’s hard to argue against the idea of Rodgers being better than Carr. The Raiders quarterback even admitted recently that he’s not on the same level. Rodgers has won four MVPs, won a Super Bowl and is destined for the Hall of Fame. Carr has some work to do before he can be mentioned in the same breath.
That said, there are still those out there who believe that Carr doesn’t get enough credit. Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd believes that Carr is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and has had a much tougher road than Rodgers did.
“Derek Carr is a top 10 QB,” Cowherd said on “The Herd.” “He carried a dysfunctional side show last year to the playoffs.”
Rodgers has been put in much better situations than Carr throughout his career but the Raiders quarterback has no excuses now. This season will truly test the idea that Carr is even in the same league as Rodgers.
Carr Wears No. 4 Because of Favre
Many took Favre’s comment on Carr as a slight towards the quarterback even though he clearly said that no disrespect was intended. Favre played with Rodgers and is one of the greatest Packers ever to play. Of course, he’s going to side with his team in any situation.
Carr has a massive amount of respect for Favre and will likely take the comments in stride. In fact, Carr wears No. 4 on his jersey in honor of Favre, who was one of his favorite players growing up. Though some are suggesting that Favre isn’t high on Carr, he’s had some nice things to say about the Raiders quarterback in the past.
“I don’t know if I consider him a gunslinger,” Favre said of Carr in 2016, via NFL.com. “I think he’s a little more polished. And I mean that with all due respect. I think he’s done a tremendous job in Oakland. I like the way he plays. I think he’s a little more polished. I like to watch him. A good player.”
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