There will be rumors. There are always rumors around Derek Carr. But according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders have no intention of finding a new quarterback in the offseason.
“There is no intention that they are willing to move off of Derek Carr at this point in time,” Schefter reported on Sunday. “Now Jon Gruden is always looking at quarterbacks and they also have Marcus Mariota under a 2-year contract, but Carr played well this year and you have to figure they’d like to stick with him going into next year. [They have] no intention to move off him at this time.”
Carr ended the 2020 season with 27 passing touchdowns (3 rushing), 4,103 passing yards, and a quarterback rating of 101.4. The offense sputtered toward the end of the season, but still averaged 28.4 points per game game during that stretch.
The more relevant storyline than Carr’s future with the Raiders might prove to be the team’s handling of Marcus Mariota’s contract, which will pay him more than $10 million in 2021. With so many personnel needs on defense, the Raiders will have to consider using that $10 million on a defensive player or two. Mariota proved against the Chargers in week 15 that he is still a starter-quality quarterback, so it will be interesting to see what kind of offers the Raiders might get for him.
A third-round pick from the Washington Football Team, maybe?
Or based on Sunday night, maybe Eagles head coach Doug Pederson would like to try and ruin another quarterback nine months from now?
twitter: @raidersbeat
The Raiders are deficient in several places, but Carr is perhaps the most proficient player on the team. So just forget that and focus on improving the deficiencies.
1. Defense. Marinelli was a good defensive coordinator at Dallas. Wade Phillips is available. There are several other good prospects. Pick one and incorporate him into the brain trust.
2. Offensive play calling and game planning. Jon has let the team down often. Get that responsibility onto shoulders broad enough to carry the load.
3. Safety. Abram is disappointing. Heath is the best safety the Raiders have had in several years, and he needs a partner that can play on an island and pass defend.
4. Linebacker should be in the discussion. Nick Kwiatoski is capable at middle linebacker, Littleton can play with proper coaching, Morrow is serviceable, McMillan is marginal.
Carr needs to go someplace else. He, plain and simple is just not a winning QB. A QB like Mariota, had he played a full season would have won 50% of the games this team lost. He wasn’t a Heisman winner because he was a slouch.
Against the Broncos on one play, the entire left side of the defense was blocked and downfield was wide open for a 30-40 yard sprint around. Carr opted to stay in the pocket and take a sack. That’s our boy, proud of him aren’t we ?? Question to all that believe Carr should return is: Would Green Bay, the Bills or the Chiefs be what they today if Carr was their QB ?? Nuff said.
Carr is not the problem. Defense needs to get better. Especially up front.
I’m not going to say Carr is the only problem because we have good players on defense some that can be great but Carr is a problem his mind goes blank sometimes and he doesn’t know how to get the ball to Ruggs nor Edwards and that’s the problem
We need a QB who’s not afraid to force feed Ruggs a lil bit and we need John Gruden to be the master mind he’s suppose to be or it’s time to send him back to T.V. where he was at
All I can say is that they would be extremely silly to think that they could replace Derek Carr! If they did it would be the end of both Head Coach & General Manager in Las Vegas in 2022, because as soon as Derek Carr took his new team into the playoffs & possibly won a superbowl one year from now with whoever it be, Mark Davis would have to save face from the Raider Nation period! Derek Carr isn’t the problem in Las Vegas.. a head coach who has way to much power is in my cross hairs! The 2021 draft class better be way more productive this next season and hopefully they can draw in some defensive FA’s so the new Defensive Coordinator has something to work with.
I sure hope Adam is very wrong. Carr needs to go someplace else. He, plain and simple is just not a winning QB. Against the Broncos on one play, the entire left side of the defense was blocked and downfield was wide open for a 30-40 yard sprint around. Carr opted to stay in the pocket and take a sack. That’s our boy, proud of him aren’t we ?? Question to all that believe Carr should return is: Would Green Bay or the Chiefs be what they are if Carr was their QB ?? Nuff said.
Why in hell would they
“….at this time.” Nice editing.
Carr played well this year, probably would made the playoffs if we had a middle of the pack defense, but there’s just not totally there. I do think a duel threat QB is needed in today’s game , no slight to Carr. Our Line isn’t or wasn’t what it was paid to be , I’m considering we did hv injury and COVID . Gruden HAVE to RECOGNIZE players and coaches that are not getting the job done , depart from them for the sake of the team. Gruden step your game up please.
The Raiders problem is simple, Jon Gruden. Is everyone afraid to admit it???. **** people 😮
I’m not going to say Carr is the only problem because we have good players on defense some that can be great but Carr is a problem his mind goes blank sometimes and he doesn’t know how to get the ball to Ruggs nor Edwards and that’s the problem
We also need a Defensive quartnater who knows the defense first off our Conerbacks are man to man Conerbacks our linebackers are mediaoker at best besides Kwickoski and Morrow we should’ve left Liddletin where he was at
It’s time to stop looking at Carr’s numbers and look at wins and losses his numbers are always good but it doesn’t add up to wins
The article below is 100% correct BUT Foster Moreau CAN’T put himself in the game. He is at the mercy of Jon Gruden’s and the Offensive Coordinator’s play calling SO what is Foster Moreau to do?
Las Vegas Raiders: Foster Moreau needs to be more involved in 2021
by Brad Weiss of Just Blog Baby
The Las Vegas Raiders have a young, talented tight end in Foster Moreau, who should be the No. 2 player for the Silver and Black at his position in 2021.
With a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the then-Oakland Raiders selected Foster Moreau, a tremendous tight end out of LSU. Moreau did not have gaudy numbers during his time with the Tigers but was a captain, and really showed a ton of talent playing in the Senior Bowl, a game where Raiders head coach Jon Gruden was the coach opposite his South squad.
Moreau appeared in 13 games as a rookie, making seven starts, and while an injury ended his season early, he still showed he can compete at the NFL level. In fact, he hauled in 21 receptions, one less than he did his entire time at LSU, and also found the end zone five times.
In 2020, he saw his playing time diminished, as he sat behind both Darren Waller and Jason Witten, making only two starts, but appearing in 16 games. Once again, Moreau showed his knack for getting into the end zone, and while he had only seven receptions, two of them went for scores.
Excellent complement to Darren Waller
Raiders tight end Darren Waller is an elite talent who has taken the NFL by storm since putting on the Silver and Black. During the 2020 NFL season, Waller set the Raiders’ single-season reception record, hauling in 107 passes, and breaking the mark set by Tim Brown by two catches.
While Waller has shined, Moreau has been a less-than-complimentary piece, something that has to change moving forward. He has shown in his small flashes that he has a nose for the end zone and is also a solid blocker, so having more two-tight end sets with both Waller and Moreau makes sense in 2021 and beyond.
Waller is as good as it gets at the position, so there is no way that Moreau starts over him unless an injury happens. However, Moreau can have a major impact on the success of this offense next season, and with Jason Witten likely retiring, he should have the opportunity to slide in as the No. 2 option at tight end.
To Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden; Please do this yesterday.
from the Bleacher Report 01/08/2021
Potential Trade Packages, Landing Spots If Deshaun Watson Requests a Trade
Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson hasn’t formally requested a trade from the Houston Texans, and there’s no guarantee such a request would be granted anyway.
But the AFC’s highest-rated passer from 2020 and the second-highest-rated qualified passer in NFL history has publicly—and maybe even cryptically—called out his team as it rebuilds the front office and coaching staff following an ugly 4-12 season.
“Rumors already are circulating, and we’ve already heard them from multiple different people, that Watson has quietly broached with teammates the possibility of requesting a trade,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote Thursday. “If that’s happening, it may just be a strategic effort to ensure his views are respected by ownership. Regardless, it raises the stakes and crosses a bridge and potentially sets the foundation for Watson eventually to decide that he’d like to continue his career elsewhere.”
Trading a superstar quarterback in his prime is essentially unprecedented, but the Texans run an unorthodox operation, to put it kindly.
The franchise recently made the 25-year-old the second-highest-paid player in NFL history, but according to Spotrac, his four-year, $156 million contract would leave the Texans with a “mere” $21.6 million dead-cap hit in the event of the trade this offseason.
The Texans, who lack first- and second-round picks in the 2021 NFL draft, would also likely get a tremendous haul in return for Watson, and it’s worth noting top executives Nick Caserio (the incoming general manager who was just hired) and Jack Easterby weren’t part of the process of drafting the former Clemson star in 2017.
In fact, ownership has technically changed since then, as well. Janice and Cal McNair took over upon Bob McNair’s death in 2018.
Put all of that together and a trade simply can’t be ruled out. So, let’s take a look at what might make the most sense if one were to go down.
What Should Houston Expect in Return?
There aren’t a lot of recent precedents to reference, so it’s tough to tell.
The last blockbuster trade involving a starting quarterback saw the Chicago Bears acquire Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos in exchange for two first-round picks and a third-rounder (they also sent Kyle Orton to Denver and received a fifth-round pick back from the Broncos). But that was back in 2009, and Cutler didn’t have Watson’s current ceiling or track record.
Last season, cornerback Jalen Ramsey fetched the Jacksonville Jaguars two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder from the Los Angeles Rams.
Earlier that year, these Texans sent the Miami Dolphins two first-round selections and a second-rounder as part of a large package that landed them left tackle Laremy Tunsil, wide receiver Kenny Stills and a pair of Day 3 draft picks (they also surrendered defensive back Johnson Bademosi and offensive tackle Julie’n Davenport).
And in 2018, the then-Oakland Raiders essentially netted two first-round picks in exchange for star edge-defender Khalil Mack in a trade with Chicago.
With that in mind, two first-rounders would likely be the starting point in trade talks. Beyond that, a team interested in Watson would likely have to give up at least one Day 2 draft pick or some other degree of draft capital and actual players (potentially a short- or long-term replacement for Watson or at least one other player who is cheap and young).
With that in mind, let’s pitch some hypothetical deals.
Between Dwayne Haskins rumors in 2019 and the acquisition of Marcus Mariota in 2020, the Jon Gruden-era Las Vegas Raiders have never seemed enamored with quarterback Derek Carr. After another non-playoff campaign, it wouldn’t be shocking if they decided to save $19.6 million and go in a new direction under center.
Carr also possesses enough upside and comes cheap enough that the Texans could take a flier on him in return for Watson. He’d cost less than $20 million in 2021 and 2022 and would at least work as a bridge to the next era in Houston, with no strings attached beyond that 2022 season.
The Texans would also likely demand the Raiders’ No. 17 overall selection in 2021 and their first-round pick in 2022, and even that might not be enough if they don’t value Carr or have top-10 picks on the table from other suitors.
It would definitely be a “go big or go home” move for Gruden either way, but Watson is a superstar and the Las Vegas offensive line is aging. Carr might have been the league’s 10th-highest-rated passer this year, but he hasn’t been a consistent game-changer like Watson.