With the 2019 season in the books, Jon Gruden and the Raiders have a lot to sort out in the months ahead. Asked about Derek Carr’s status for next year, Gruden was noncommittal. Who knows how that will play out, but we know Gruden wants to bolster the wide receivers room and keep an eye on the running backs, too.
DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard will both be free agents in 2020 and there’s a chance both could end up somewhere else. So if you’re looking for a name to watch (or at least hope for), keep an eye on Austin Ekeler. He would be perfect for Gruden’s system and would effectively reduce the workload on Josh Jacobs.
The problem with Ekeler is that he will be a restricted free agent after the season and the Chargers will control his future. The Chargers will put a free agent tender on him (maybe as high as a second-round pick) and would have the opportunity to match any offer Ekeler receives in free agency. Making matters even more complicated for the Raiders is the fact that the Chargers are projected to have close to $60 million in cap space next year. They will be able to match any offer. So while Gruden would surely love to add Ekeker, it’s not a particularly realistic option – unless the Raiders decide to get really aggressive.
A nice consolation prize, assuming Ekeker stays put, might be Chris Thompson of the Redskins. Thompson was one of Jay Gruden’s favorite players in Washington and the 29 year-old veteran is a better route-runner than any running back on the Raiders roster right now. There are injury concerns around Thompson, but he fits the mold of what Jon Gruden loves in a running back – and would come at a reasonable cost considering his age.
An early prediction: Thompson ends up a Las Vegas Raider next year.
Look for the Raiders to also add a bruiser at running back because beyond Jacobs, they didn’t have a reliable short-yardage option on the roster this year. Maybe fullback Alec Ingold grows into this role, but you have to know Gruden would love to line up a physical running back behind Ingold in short-yardage situations.
Who most resembles Tyrone Wheatley on the short list of options out there?
twitter: @raidersbeat
Get unhappy RB David Johnson of AZ Cardinals. While you’re shopping there; also get unhappy CB Patrick Peterson.
They need a deep threat WR,
Two linebackers that can
Fly side to side and cover and two dbacks, before they go after any other players. They need smart guys, too many dumb players
Tyrone Wheatley🤔 more like ZAK Crockett !!
What happens to the 1st round draft picks the Raiders get from the Bears for Mack ?
They got Jacobs that’s already done that was way before
Pick(s)
No they still have the bears 2020 1st & 4th Round pick this year
They still have 1 more this year. Ours is pick 12, we have pick 19 ftom them…
The Raiders get the 19th pick in the 1st rd of the 2020 draft from the Bears.
Well how Gruden can be non committal on Carr shows the coach doesn’t get it. Carr played the season without a true #1 receiver and a lot of times with #3’s and #4’s. Yet Carr managed to be 1 of 3 qb’s completing 70%+ passes (finishing 2nd behind Drew Brees). Also 21 Td’s and only 8 int’s, and Number #8 on QB rating finishing over a 100. Get Carr some decent receivers for more than a year (Brees has Mike Wallace truly the best #1 WR), strength the defense and the Raiders are a playoff team like they were in 2016.
Lol your post shows that you don’t get it.
1) completing 70% passes doesn’t mean everything when a lot of them are check downs. Ask Vikings fans how they feel about Cousins. He completed 70% last year with 30 TD and 10 int and look where that got them. Earlier this season he completed 75% of his passes in a game they lost.
2) Carr had a #1 wide receiver in Cooper but didn’t throw the ball to him. I know he had drop issues but Carr wasn’t even looking his way a lot. That makes me wonder about his read progressions. Carr hasn’t been the same since his injury on 2016 season
3) the Saints receiver is Michael Thomas not Wallace
Cooper was Carr’s go to receiver. He had over 1,000yds in both his first two seasons in the NFL. In 2017 he had the foot issue he dealt with all season. Then last season he didnt fit Grudens offense. The check downs are part of the design of the west coast offense. If you go back and watch Rich Gannon he did alot of them in Grudens offense as well. Carr’s not the issue here.
Didn’t the Vikings play in the NFC championship game last season? I’d wager Vikings fans felt better about last season than raiders fans did. The short game is part of grudens scheme and people seem to think that it’s all on Carr. Wallers 70-something yard haul in the season ender was off a designed dink pass.
If Carr had a healthy o-line, Jacobs, Ty, Renfrow and AB all season like they had initially planned for, I think we’d all be gawking in awe of his stats right now.
I still don’t know if cooper is a true #1 wide out, he’s had his moments but he’s no Michael Thomas, Tyreek Hill or Davante Adams. This year, Cooper had a very similar stat line to what he had in OAK in ‘15 and ‘16. That ‘17 season team/staff had so many problems you just can’t lay it all on Carr.
I think if any part of the team needs to be assessed it’s the majority of the D. So many holes there. Give Oakland (I mean Vegas) a defense like the niners have right now and they’d hang with anybody in the league.
Josh Jacobs is an All Pro in waiting.
Not a Raiders fan but this appeared in my feed so I will shed some light. The priority for your team is to bolster the wide receiver corp. Derrick Carr is the equivalent of a Jimmy Garoppolo for the Raiders, which is to say he is a serviceable asset able to drive a good team. The Raiders are not a good team, not a complete team. Offensively, they need to add a true #1 receiver to go alongside a 10 year starter in Hunter Renfrow on offense.
Spending any assets on the RB position is unnecessary this day in age. This is especially true when you have a legitimate #1. This article’s premisses is highly mistaken. Pouring unnecessary resources into finding a backup for your already heavily invested running back, and who will take reps away from his elite playmaking ability only complicates the balance between position group strength. You can only have so much talent on one team.
The priority goes something like this: Quarterbacks, people who hunt Quarterbacks, those on the outside who stretch (or reduce the stretch) of the field are the priorities. Then players in the trenches. Then, unfortunately, running backs.
In doing what the article suggests will set the Raiders back. That is why everyone reading this should realize that this will not be empathized by the front office (at least I don’t think they are that incompetent).
Carr completed 70% of his passes, and as you say “most were checkdowns.” Then how did he throw for the most yds of his career? How did he finish the year 8th in passing yds. Your football stupidity shows so much through this comment…
1) I believe it got Minnesota to the playoffs…
2) Cooper is not a number 1 receiver. He’s a great number 2. Too many dropped passes and games where he just dissapears. Dallas is getting their fill of Amari Cooper. We got a great value in that trade.
Can’t bring Cooper into the talk, he’s a QUITTER, has proven it again in Big D. Where was he down the stretch when they were reeling? On the sideline, where he belongs in big games. When it doesn’t go his way, he puts. Carr saw this, so he forgot about him. I am also getting fed up with Carr’s giving up on 3rd and 4th down, BUT, he needs more than a bunch of 3’s and 4’s at WR to get judged fairly. And he needs a coaching staff that can make halftime adjustments.
Dumbass look what Dallas did with Cooper drops the ball is an uninspired w/r give Carr a real reciever at #1 like Riggs from alambama with waller at tight end Hunter renfrow in slot and Tyrell Williams #2 watch Carr light up the nfl
I agree, most everyone wants Carr out, but it’s definitely not all him. Plenty of finger pointing to go around on both sides of the ball.
Wait mike Wallace isn’t he a old school news anchor?
no idea which RB the raiders will bring in….BUTMy prediction for the raiders in 2020 is this and you heard it here FIRST
Carr will be released (doubt he will be traded) and the Raiders will sign Teddy Bridgewater.
gruden likes teddy…..and aside from them trading up for herbert from oregon…bridgewater will the raiders qb in 2020.
Goodbye finally over !!!,DESTROYED the best RECORD of all sports teams percentage of wins the REAL OAKLAND RAIDERS!!! The last Oakland Raiders team was 1983 LA team which was filled with Oakland Raiders!!!! Never should have ever came back Definitely was never the Oakland Raiders EVER AGAIN!!!! But us who are old ENOUGH will always REMEMBER AND NEVER 4GET !!!! GOOD LUCK AND GOODBYE FOR GOOD TO THE LA AND LAS VEGAS RAIDERS!!!!!!
Ok boomer
More like Frank Hawkins or mark van eagen
They need to scoop up Najee Harris if he’s there in the 3rd round. That would be a helluva dou threat!!!
EVERYBODY IS GETING A HEAD OF YORSELF THE RAIDERS NEED TO BUILD THERE TEAM THROUGH THE DRAFT LIKE THEY DID LAST YEAR THEY NEED DEFENCE LOOK AT THE PATS THEY STAY IN A LOT OF GAMS BECAUSE OF THAT AN THE RAIDERS NEED TEAM SPEED THEY LACK THAT AL DAVIS LOVED SPEED IF I DID GET A RECEVER I LIE THE LAMB KID THATS ALL FOR NOW
Carr is a Good Quarterback. I believe Gruden likes to keep His Starter on Edge. Make Him work for it.
ain’t no QB out there better than Carr and if you cut him he will bleed SILVER&BLACK!
Did you recently become stupid or has this been a life long issue? There are quite a few better QBs than Carr. Carr couldn’t carry Mahomes jock strapon his best day. Quit drinking the bong water idiot !!
He’s not stupid, you are missing the point. Pretty sure he is talking about AVAILABLE options. Mahomes isn’t a viable replacement for Carr. There aren’t better available options if they cut Carr. It’s unlikely they cut him anyway, maybe a trade, but they’re not gonna eat 5mil (I think) in dead cap $. I say draft a potential replacement; Eason, Hurts or Love and let them develop under Carr. Then you can trade or cut Carr after 2020/21 for no dead money.
I think you’ll see them scoop up a mid rounder with a high ceiling like Eason or the guy I think Gruden is drooling over in Fromm
Isn’t Crowell still under contract?
Was thinking the same thing. If he comes back healthy hes a great back up to Jacobs if we lose Washington or Richard
We need a defense we don’t blitz we need a whole new secondary,safties and a good defensive coach thats not afraid, offense need to be like the old raiders long bomb on 1st down
Dink and dunk not a bad way . 10 and 12 play drives clock management and our running game off tackle. To the right to the left. And down there throat. . carr is great for that . waller is excellent raiders have always had a great tight end. And waller is probably vthe best in the League some could argue a talent which plays multiple positions defensive side of the ball offensive side of the ball special teams if needed doesn’t matter a true all-around game changer you need to haul in their wide receivers or get some better ones they played with the rookie package this year made things more difficult on on the quarterback Derek Carr is destined for greatness slow blooming great quarterback still blossoming I say give him another year open up that passing game now that we have a running back it’s very good get a good wide receiver or two it’d be nice to have a good Corner again like Nnamdi asamoah we got a lot of the key part if everyone can play like a team hold down the fort till the 4th quarter like they did in 2016 be a fourth-quarter team we can win every Sunday……..
Rennie Childs Enough said.
As much as Derek Carr is asked to pass the ball here in there down the field 80 + yard drives 10 and 12 plays at a time without very many interceptions is a spectacular feat in its own we have a good running back we need a another halfback or so to pick up some of the load from Jacobs I think we should run Jacobs 20 times a game at least if we got a wide receiver or two car is accurate enough to hit him on the Run that’ll open up bigger plays with the play-action we need to come up on some shutdown corners I’m powerful safeties letter smart you need to be able to play in man and Zone coverages and pick up the slack when the teams are passing the ball down the field on us to be able to know the difference we can pick the ball off at will like the Raiders are known for then all we have to do is stop the run and we win every Sunday
If you are a true Raiders fan it’s time to realize that we need a quarterback like it or not a good quarterback makes a team look good heck Carr did it in 2016 but after the injury he’s been scared and if you don’t see that then you’re not a real Raiders fan
If all your best receivers are tight ends or slot receivers you better throw the check-down. Carr is not the problem, Teddy Bridgewater is a back-up. A few NFL level linebackers would be nice, our linebackers could disappear en mass at night and it would be decades before anyone cared to look for them. Too many has-beens and even more never-was. A couple of corners would be nice. Mayock drafted well last year, do it again. Get a starting wide receiver and then concentrate of defense. Stopping any offense would be a new feeling. Let Gruden spend the money on “his” kind of players, but please get some darn defensive players.
Bears send 19th pick to Raiders in 2020
Who’s mike Wallace? He’s a #1, I’ve never herd of the guy😂😂😂
Is try and keep Jalen Richard but not for big $, otherwise Washington on a bargain contract. They don’t need a hi end back, maybe grab some reject from the bargain bin. Otherwise draft one late and build the defense! They need a true #1 receiver but I’d look free agency up for that. As for Carr he’s making the move to Vegas. Wait🤔 maybe mike Wallace would come to the raiders, he must be cheap as nobody’s heard of him