Getty Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
The AFC West has been flipped on its head with Russell Wilson getting traded to the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have finished last in the division in each of the previous two seasons and that’s likely to change with the superstar quarterback en route. The AFC West is primed to be the most brutal division in the NFL in 2022. All four teams have quarterbacks who are considered among the 15 best in the league.
Unfortunately for the Las Vegas Raiders, many believe that they have the worst of the four quarterbacks. Derek Carr is very good and could arguably be considered top-10 in the league with a better supporting cast. However, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes and Wilson might be three of the six best in the NFL. While many are piling on Carr right now, Raiders Hall of Famer Charles Woodson wasn’t going to stand for the slander. He made it clear that the other three quarterbacks aren’t going to have a cakewalk playing the Raiders with Carr.
Woodson decided to take it a step even further. Carr’s former teammate suggested that the quarterback could have similar success as Mahomes had he played under Andy Reid with the Chiefs.
That’s some high praise from Woodson, who knows the quarterback well as the two briefly played together.
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Is Woodson Right About Carr?
Not many would argue that Carr’s better than his AFC West counterparts. That’s not even what Woodson is saying. However, there is merit to what the Hall of Famer is saying. The Raiders have been a revolving door of weapons and coaches since Carr was drafted. When he had a great offensive line, a Pro Bowl running back and two solid wide receivers in 2016, he finished third in the MVP race. Out of the four AFC West quarterbacks, Carr and Mahomes are the only ones to receive MVP votes.
2016 was a long time ago and Carr hasn’t necessarily reached those heights since. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t improved as a quarterback. The Raiders have been a chaotic mess for years so it’s hard to know just how good Carr actually is. He could surprise people once the team’s situation stabilizes.
Josh McDaniels Could Be Best Thing to Happen to Carr
Carr should be thrilled that the Raiders hired Josh McDaniels as head coach. With Wilson coming to the AFC West, the decision to move on from Rich Bisaccia as the head coach looks much better. A specials teams coach wasn’t going to be able to help develop an offense that can go toe to toe with the NFL’s best.
McDaniels gets a lot of flack for his first head coaching job in Denver but he’s a different guy now. He’s one of the best offensive minds in the league and is a good fit with Carr. The two could form a duo that’s able to compete with any team in the AFC West. There are some major roster issues that need solving. The Raiders need at least two new offensive linemen and possibly even four. They also need a No. 1 wide receiver. If the team can fix those issues in free agency and the draft, the offense could be one of the best in the league.
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Charles Woodson Issues Fiery Defense of Derek Carr After Wilson Trade