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Oakland Raiders: A Few Questions That Must Be Answered This Offseason

By Kevin Saito

ALAMEDA, CA - JANUARY 09: Oakland Raiders new head coach Jon Gruden speaks during a news conference at Oakland Raiders headquarters on January 9, 2018 in Alameda, California. Jon Gruden has returned to the Oakland Raiders after leaving the team in 2001. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
ALAMEDA, CA - JANUARY 09: Oakland Raiders new head coach Jon Gruden speaks during a news conference at Oakland Raiders headquarters on January 9, 2018 in Alameda, California. Jon Gruden has returned to the Oakland Raiders after leaving the team in 2001. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) /
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Who Will Be Backing Up Derek Carr?

One of the biggest, most important questions the Raiders will be facing this offseason will be who they have holding the clipboard for Derek Carr.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s having a competent backup quarterback is essential to surviving in the NFL – right Case Keenum and Nick Foles?

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    • In each of the past two seasons, Carr’s gotten hurt. In 2016, a broken leg knocked him out at the end of the season and the Raiders were quickly shown the postseason door. In 2017, a transverse process fracture kept him out of a game – a loss to Baltimore – and backup E.J. Manuel was less than scintillating in relief.

    With Manuel set to hit free agency, that leaves the Raiders with Carr and former fourth-round pick Connor Cook on the roster. It’s possible they try to retain Manuel, but it would be no big loss if they let him walk – and they probably should.

    The team could opt to groom Cook to be the backup. Gruden has a way of getting the most out of his quarterbacks and could potentially make him a very solid backup.

    Or, they could dip into the free agency pool. Though, beyond the big names who are either likely to stay with their current team (Drew Brees and Jimmy Garoppolo), or will be the presumptive starter of the team that signs him (Kirk Cousins and potentially Keenum), the shelves are pretty bare.

    Geno Smith, Blaine Gabbert, Josh McCown, and Ryan Fitzpatrick are a few of the names floating around out there. Doesn’t inspire much confidence in adding some depth via free agency, does it?

    It’s possible they could look to the later rounds of the draft (they do have a ton of sixth-round picks) to see if they can find a hidden gem. But, given the fact that Gruden was pretty high on Cook when the Raiders first drafted him – and surprised he wasn’t a first round pick – it seems likely that they’ll work on developing the former Spartan.

    Next: Keeping Bruce Irvin Seems Like A No-Brainer

    Likely, but not definitely.

    Oakland needs a competent, reliable backup to Carr in a very bad way. Be it grooming Cook, retaining Manuel, drafting a young guy, or taking a veteran free agent, the Raiders need to find a way to upgrade that backup spot in a big way.

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