It’s no secret that Derek Carr is often the subject of criticism. After finishing second in the MVP award race in 2016, he just hasn’t been able to get back to that level of play.
However, Carr was good last season. He finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ eighth-best quarterback and set career highs in completion percentage, passing yards and passer rating last season. But for the Raiders to take the next step as a team, they need their quarterback to continue to progress.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, the site mentioned that Carr needs to be more aggressive throwing the ball down the field this season in order for the Raiders to make the playoffs. Here is a snippet of what PFF had to say about Carr entering the year:
“Carr also recorded the league’s highest checkdown rate, while his 6.9 average depth of target tied for the second-lowest mark league-wide. The only quarterbacks to not have a single big-time throw when out of rhythm in 2019 were Mason Rudolph, Joe Flacco, Case Keenum and Carr — he simply has to fix that in order to get the respect he wants.”
With more talent at receiver, it does seem likely that Carr will be more aggressive taking shots down the field. He’s always going to be a somewhat conservative passer, but the Raiders just need him to be more aggressive on third downs. Look for Carr to have one of the best seasons of his career as the Raiders need their quarterback to play at an elite level to get them back into the playoffs.
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