Ex-Saints quarterback Derek Carr has been all over the headlines for a possible unretirement, but this time he did it with his prediction about the Raiders’ No. 1 NFL Draft pick, Fernando Mendoza.
Ever since Mendoza lifted the National Championship cup, his status as the No.1 draft pick going to the Las Vegas Raiders was set in stone.
The Raiders’ need for their QB stepping up was urgent, and it is also exactly why offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak isn’t putting training wheels on Mendoza.
Quite the opposite, in fact. They are throwing the entire playbook at Mendoza, forcing him to work under center, in the shotgun, and out of the pistol.
While it’s been a massive adjustment for the rookie, he has lived up to those expectations and improved “leaps and bounds”, as he puts it. Even Kubiak noted that Mendoza has “gotten a ton better” and is aggressively putting in the hours.
All the reports coming out of Sin City were exactly what gave Derek Carr the confidence to put massive expectations on the future face of the franchise.
Derek Carr Raises the Bar for Mendoza’s Rookie Season
GettyNew Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr sends strong message to Raiders’ Fernando Mendoza.
“I love him, man. I hope he breaks all my records,” Carr said at the American Century Championship golf tournament.
Carr wasn’t just throwing generic coach-speak at Mendoza. He was practically handing the Raiders record books to the rookie, challenging him to top every single milestone established during his nine-year tenure in the silver and black.
Carr didn’t just top the Raiders’ history sheets back in his day; he completely owned them.
Because of that, hearing “hope he breaks all my records” coming directly from Carr himself wasn’t some pleasantry. It was the former franchise face essentially passing the beacon to the former Indiana QB, laying down a benchmark for the rookie to chase right from his rookie season.
Carr amassed 35,222 passing yards for 217 passing touchdowns with just 99 interceptions during his 9 years with the Raiders. That’s the bar for Mendoza.
Mendoza has a Better Setup to Win than Carr Did
GettyNew Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr sends strong message to Raiders’ Fernando Mendoza.
Carr racked up those volume stats because he spent his prime anchoring Jon Gruden’s modern, hyper-aggressive passing offense. Snake Stabler played in a muddy, ground-and-pound era where throwing 20 picks a year was standard business.
Carr’s entire legacy in Oakland and Las Vegas was sabotaged by historically bad defensive units, forcing him to play hero-ball every single Sunday.
Mendoza, on the other hand, is fresh off a dominant Heisman and National Championship run at Indiana. He gets a competent, middle-of-the-pack defense behind him. Plus, his athletic, 6-foot-5 frame has only worked in his favor to improve his physical leverage under center, a major focal point for the rookie during Raiders OTAs.
Although it was a learning curve, his physical frame gives him a clear advantage to read over the field and stand tall against defenses. Mendoza has the resources not just to break Carr’s records, but to lead the Raiders to a better postseason altogether.
Derek Carr Puts Rare Roster Projections on Raiders Rookie Fernando Mendoza