Quarterback Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders walks on the field against the Denver Broncos during the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High on December 29, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Raiders 16-15. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
While others speculate about Derek Carr’s future with the Raiders, one teammate says such talk is nonsense.
Veteran guard Richie Incognito says the quarterback is exactly the player the franchise needs at the position.
Incognito, speaking on the Raider Cody Podcast recently, said Carr’s ability is certain, but his supporting cast needs improvement.
"Let’s be honest," Incognito said. "We didn’t have a ton of speed, a ton of star power out there are wide receiver, for reasons out of our control. … We have tremendous confidence in Derek Carr. The way he runs coach’s offense, the way he gets us in the right plays, the way he chucks that ball around, distributes the ball. We have a ton of confidence in him and there’s no way he’s going anywhere."
Incognito says Carr is completely in tune with Jon Gruden’s playbook.
"Derek runs that offense like coach Gruden was out there on the field," he said.
Carr is 39-55 as the Raiders starter since being drafted in 2014 out of Fresno State, and he’s been quarterback through a series of head coaches, offensive schemes and rebuilding programs. Under Gruden, Carr and the Raiders were 4-12 in 2018, then 7-9 this past season, just missing a playoff spot.
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Carr set career highs for quarterback rating (100.8), yards (4,054), completion percentage (70.4) and yards per attempt (7.9), while throwing 21 touchdown passes against only eight interceptions.
The Raiders had hoped to give Carr dynamic wide receiver Antonio Brown this season, but Brown burned his bridges in Oakland and didn’t last, getting released before Game 1 of the regular season. Without Brown, Carr didn’t really have a wide receiver to stretch opposing defenses.
