Jon Gruden’s comments about Mariota’s “dazzling” playmaking abilities on Friday were good to hear, but of course the storylines that followed were predictable.
Notably, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio, who loves to stoke any kind of rumors involving Carr, couldn’t resist. Florio said Mariota’s play should “raise eyebrows” and “get the attention” of Carr, while conveniently omitting the fact that Carr has been having an outstanding camp by all accounts.
But like most of Florio’s takes on Carr, this one isn’t aging well, either.
According to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur on Monday, it’s already time for Florio to pull back the emergency brake on Mariota winning the starting job in Las Vegas (no, he didn’t specifically mention Florio, but he should have).
“Mariota looks a little stiff throwing the ball. Gruden mentioned how he was back from an elbow injury, but Mariota doesn’t look that comfortable and isn’t getting the ball out very smoothly,” Tafur reported in The Athletic on Monday. “He has had some nice runs that got Gruden excited, but the short throws aren’t pretty, while the longer throws have been hit and miss. Someone who watched Mariota with the Titans told me he was never a great practice player in Nashville, but still.”
Florio doesn’t prefer to credit Tafur on information that he wants to post, so there’s almost no chance that he’s going to run with a Tafur report that he doesn’t want to post. Maybe he’ll pass this one along to his diverse group of subordinates at ProFootballTalk.
As for Mariota, it’s going to take time for him to learn Gruden’s system. The hope would be that he’ll be physically and mentally close enough to ready when (or if) the Raiders need to call on him at some point during the season.
But beating out Carr in training camp?
That was always a ridiculous narrative.
twitter: @raidersbeat
It’s about time you give CARR some room breathe
There is about 30 active qbs who could outplay carr and 2 retired qb’s that could outplay carr right now… This second
Wait till the red jersey is off and carr starts check downing 90% of his passes b/c he is terrified to take a hit and get hurt
The only ridiculous narrative is carr staying as the Raiders qb past 2021.
Is the author related to the carr family?
Cuz if not FOH!!!! with the carr cheerleader BS
You know every one that’s thinking Mariota is the second coming, really hasn’t watched his career! He’s digressed while Carr continues to improve! I’ll root hard as heck for him if Mariota steps in for Carr, for an injury let’s say but between the 2, Carr will get this team further than Mariota ever will! #RN4L #Carr2020
I think it’s ridiculous that Carr is even practicing. If Carr needs incentive to be better, hang it up. I see where this team is going and they’re gonna Mariota their scapegoat like the Titans did. Heads roll but it’s never the bobble heads. First, you got to take the pressure off of Mariota, dah. Who’s the one to pass that test? The next step is to stop comparing him to Carr or any other QB, stop it. And finally you must call plays to Mariotta’s strengths, not his weaknesses. The Titans were just plain dumb, numb and dumb. It’s not a football town and it’s starting to look as if Ias Vegas isn’t either.
WHATEVER Jon Gruden has to do to light a fire under Derek Carr’s butt is fine with me. Lincoln Kennedy said it best; Derek Carr NOW has EVERYTHING that he needs, on offense, to be successful so NOW it’s put up or shut up time. NO ONE can do ANYTHING about yesterday and the future is NOW. NOTHING will say more about Derek Carr than what he does THIS YEAR. IF he succeeds, this year, then great. IF he doesn’t succeed, this year, then next man up. The possibilities for the Las Vegas Raiders acquiring a good to great quarterback, next year, are endless. Aaron Rogers will become available and a trade to acquire Trevor Lawrence is not out of the possibilities. Then there is Anthony Gordon formerly of Washington State who could be signed off of the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad. So there is a myriad of talented people dying for a chance to show what they can do in the NFL, not to mention Marcus Mariotta. Truthfully, I could care less who Jon Gruden gets to quarterback the Las Vegas Raiders as long as he gets us WINS. NOTHING less will do!!! And to quote the patriarch of the Raiders, JUST WIN BABY!!!