After taking a big step forward as a franchise in 2019, the Raiders appear to be a team on the rise in the AFC. They have a young defense and one of the best offensive lines in all of the NFL. Add on the fact they’ve found two studs in Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller on offense and things are looking pretty bright for the team in Las Vegas.
However, not everyone is convinced that the Raiders are ready to make another leap in 2020.
In a recent article by Doug Farrar of the Touchdown Wire, the Raiders were listed as the No. 22 ranked team heading into the 2020 offseason. Take a look at why Farrar is less than optimistic about the Raiders’ chances next season:
Quarterback Derek Carr finished the 2019 season with career bests in completion percentage (70.4%), passing yards (4,054), yards per attempt (7.9) and passer rating (100.8). Carr also finished sixth in Football Outsiders’ cumulative opponent-adjusted efficiency metrics for quarterbacks last season. But there doesn’t seem to be a sure-thing status regarding Gruden’s feelings about Carr, and that’s not the only issue here. The Raiders’ secondary combined for 18 touchdowns allowed, but just six interceptions in 2019. The Raiders finished 24th in the league in both points scored and points allowed, and although Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock came through with an absolutely fantastic rookie class in 2019, there’s still work to be done. Committing to a quarterback would help.
If the Raiders can find a way to become a more consistent offense, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be able to win one or two more games next season. If Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden can find some more stability at wide receiver, that should help as well.
However, if the Raiders do move on from Derek Carr in favor of a younger quarterback, it wouldn’t be that surprising if the team did take a step back. That is something Mayock and Gruden will have to weigh when making the tough decision about Carr’s future over the next few months.
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