3 reasons why it'd be a mistake for Raiders to trade away Derek Carr
There is speculation running rampant that Derek Carr's career with the Las Vegas Raiders may be over. Now, that is not the most surprising trade talk, as he has been benched for the rest of the season with the Raiders going 6-9.
The Raiders were still in Oakland when they drafted Derek Carr in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. He has helmed their transition from Oakland to Las Vegas and has been their undisputed starter all these years.
He made three Pro Bowls from 2015 to 2017 and has generally been a boost to the organization throughout his stint there.
However, after a poor season when they were supposed to challenge for the playoffs, they seemed to have chosen to move on from Carr.
They traded for Davante Adams this offseason to give him more offensive weapons; instead they find themselves nearly eliminated from postseason contention with two games to go. Derek Carr has thrown multiple interceptions in recent games, so the Raiders might decide that he's past his prime and they need to get a new quarterback in town.
However, there are reasons why they should look to choose to retain Derek Carr in the organization. Here are just a few.
Why Las Vegas Raiders should keep Derek Carr
Here are three reasons:
#1 Leader on and off the field
Often teams trade away players based only on their statistics. Sometimes, they trade for a player based on similar reasons. One does not have to look too far to see a prime example this season.
The Denver Broncos traded for Russell Wilson based on his stats alone, despite reports that he was not a popular team leader at the Seattle Seahawks. As his play deteriorated over the course of the season, that undermined the cohesiveness of the squad.
Derek Carr, meanwhile, is a leader on and off the field. The Las Vegas Raiders have been shrouded in multiple controversies over the last few years, from players to former head coach Jon Gruden.
One particular example was of the egregious misbehavior of Henry Ruggs III last season, which resulted in a fatality stemming from him driving drunk. Among all the vitriolic reactions, Carr's grace stood out, showing him to be a natural leader.
@raidersRaiders QB Derek Carr said he’ll be there for now former teammate Henry Ruggs, if needed, following his fatal DUI crash. #vegas #raiders #raidernation 🎥 @raiders https://t.co/x9b2g5jtle
Even his latest decision to step away from the field after being dropped to avoid being a distraction to the team speaks volumes. It might be easier to find a replacement quarterback if they get rid of him. However, it might not be as easy to find a replacement leader.
#2 No obvious replacement
It's easy to speak in anger and make rash decisions. After a disappointing season, Las Vegas Raiders fans and the board might decide that moving away from Derek Carr is the right decision. However, as the old adage goes, having a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. Right now, Carr might be the best option they have.
There's no natural replacement for him in their ranks. Across the league, there're not many good options either. Fans will pine for Tom Brady to come to Vegas, but anyone who has seen him play this year should be wary of whether the GOAT can still cut it. Other options like Jimmy Garoppolo and all do not look like much of an upgrade. They do not look to be in a prime draft position either to snap up the best quarterback right at the top either.
They might do well to stand by their starting quarterback for the last nine seasons. They might choose to overlook this season as an aberration and take the time out to evaluate all their options over the next season. That means retaining Derek Carr for at least one more year, seeing if he's really washed up and also planning for a succession in the interim should that need to pass.
#3 Time to fix the defense
The last few games have not been a good look for Derek Carr. In their last game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he threw for one touchdown and three interceptions, resulting in a quarterback rating of 42.2.
However, his nadir this season has to be the game from a couple of weeks ago against the Los Angeles Rams. He threw for no touchdowns and two interceptions with a passer rating of 36.9.
After such performances, it's a natural reaction to determine that the quarterback is the problem. However, statistics in isolation can often lead to bad, kneejerk reactions.
In team offense this season, the Las Vegas Raiders are ranked in the top half of the table in offensive yardage. At points per game, they're even better at 23.2, higher than playoff-bound teams like the Los Angeles Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens.
The Raiders have the 32nd-ranked defense since Carr entered the league. Has never played on a team that ranked better than 20th on defense.
Someone next year is going to get a top 12 player at the position man!!!! twitter.com/espn/status/16…
It's their defense that has been the problem. They're in the bottom half of the table in terms of yards and points allowed per game. Instead of spending draft capital trying to trade for another quarterback or drafting another quarterback, they might want to spend that getting better defensive players to improve their team.