Raiders should keep Carr and do this to turn team around

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Raiders should keep Derek Carr and do this to turn team around

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 12/13/22

After this season, Raiders QB Derek Carr has no guaranteed money left on his three-year contract extension, per ESPN NFL Insider Dan Graziano. So Las Vegas could cut him in the offseason and only be out $5.6M, per Spotrac.

Carr skeptics say the team should move on from the QB, who has a 62-78 record as a Raiders starter.

"I don't think the Raiders can ascend to the height they want to with Carr as their starting quarterback," ESPN's Ryan Clark, a former NFL player, said recently.

Or perhaps Las Vegas could do something un-Raider-like and build a decent defense to support Carr.

Per CBS Sports, Carr has played with defenses that have allowed more points per game than any since the 1970 merger.

In nine seasons, he's never played with a top-20 unit, which can shift a quarterback's career.

Most PPG Allowed in starts by a QB:
Since 1970 Merger (Min. 50 Starts)

Derek Carr 26.3
Chad Henne 25.7
Marc Bulger 25.4
Daunte Culpepper 25.2

Carr has never had a defense ranked better than 20th during his time with the Raiders pic.twitter.com/FaiHxFT6U6
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) November 23, 2022

A top-10 defense aided Tom Brady in his seven Super Bowl campaigns.

Through 13 starts in 2022, Carr is tied for 10th in passing touchdowns (20). Per Pro Football Reference, Carr is ninth among active quarterbacks in touchdown passes.

So, he's better than his record indicates and isn't sinking the organization.

Per Spotrac, the Raiders will be ninth in total cap space in 2023. Per Tankathon's mock draft, they currently have the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

The pick and cap space expands Las Vegas' capacity to improve. So try something different, Raiders. Keep Carr and give him the support he needs.

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