The Raiders are cruising into their bye week with a 3-2 record, but the momentum apparently hasn’t slowed down the conversation that Derek Carr might not be Jon Gruden’s long term answer at quarterback.
The Athletic’s Vic Tafur talked about the Gruden/Carr dynamic this week in London and said the odds are even on whether or not Carr will be Gruden’s quarterback next year in Las Vegas.
“I think it’s 50-50 right now I’d say. Everyone talks about Jon, how he wants his own guys. That’s kind of his legacy, like he wants his own players and so therefore having a rookie quarterback next year would definitely give him that,” Tafur told Silver and Black Today in London.
“[Gruden] likes Derek personally a lot, he definitely respects his hard work and his talent, he definitely has a big-time arm, and very smart guy and grew up watching film, so there’s enough there where I think you could see it working out, but also things there where you’re like ‘you know, I’m not sure.’ I think there’s still doubt probably in both the guys’ minds. They won’t say it, but both guys are probably not sure this is going to be a long-term fix.”
Silver&BlackToday™ on Twitter
@VicTafur joined us in London and talked about #Raiders QB Derek Carr. With solid play, and more comfort in the team’s offense, will the talented QB make it with the team to #LasVegas? Tafur says it may be a 50-50 proposition. Listen to full interview: https://t.co/cwdCL7uP3X https://t.co/MF39HDZsMo
Through five games Carr has a 96.7 quarterback rating (tied for his career best) and is the 8th-ranked quarterback in the league, per Pro Football Focus analytics.
Not that you can trust everything or even anything Gruden says, but he had this to say about Carr after the big win against Khalil Mack and the Bears:
“[Derek is] completing a lot of passes to a lot of different players, some he’s never met before. He’s moving our team. Some of the things that are happening in the running game, he gets a lot of credit for. We’re not running into uphill looks. He’s doing a lot of recognition at the line of scrimmage. He’s done a heck of a job aborting the football. His mastery of the offense is much better. He’s even coaching players. He’s coaching them on the sideline. He’s coaching them in the huddle… You go on the road and beat Indianapolis and beat Chicago and put those kind of numbers together without a sack, that’s impressive… He’s been pinpoint with his throws. He’s been good with the football. He’s been a great leader for us. Give him a lot of credit.”
Not the description of a player getting ready to be handed a pink slip.
twitter: @raidersbeat
