Oakland Raiders Get Everything They Need in Derek Carr

The Oakland Raiders entered Day 2 of the 2014 NFL draft in a precarious position. While general manager Reggie McKenzie lucked into linebacker Khalil Mack at No. 5 overall on Day 1, his team still didn’t have a long-term solution at quarterback.

Matt McGloin was Oakland’s only hedge in case trading for quarterback Matt Schaub turned out to be a bad move. If the Raiders received the 2013 version of Schaub, the one in which he threw 14 interceptions in 10 games, they would probably be poised for their third straight season with a 4-12 record.

While the Raiders had more pressing needs heading in this draft, selected Fresno State’s Derek Carr at No. 36 overall, because he solves their predicament at quarterback in a big way. Carr gives the Raiders a better hedge for Schaub, but more importantly, he is a quarterback they can develop into a true franchise quarterback.



According to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle, Carr was the top-rated quarterback on the Raiders draft board. Oakland’s interest in Carr had been widely reported for months, but to be able to get him in the second round without giving up any draft value was a big win for McKenzie.

The Raiders likely made the trade for Schaub and a financial commitment to him knowing that they may not have been able to get Carr later. Per Andrew Brandt of ESPN, Carr won’t be rushed to play because the Raiders fully guaranteed Schaub $8 million in 2014.

Since they were able to land Carr, the Raiders instantly get an insurance policy for Schaub. Carr will be an expensive backup initially because he came at the price of the 36th overall pick, but he’s obviously much more than that.

The Raiders hope Carr is like Oakland’s version of Green Bay Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Raiders hope Carr is their version of San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick.


Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders