Raiders: Grading and analyzing Derek Carr’s 2019 season
By Allen Settle
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr will be a hot topic this offseason, but for now, we analyze his 2019 season and assign it a letter grade.
The Las Vegas Raiders are hopeful that their first season in Nevada will bring more success than their previous stint in Oakland.
While the team was able to compile some memorable moments in the Bay Area, the Oakland Raiders were never able to recapture their glory days of their 1960s and 1970s teams.
Most recently, the team failed to reach the playoffs in all but one season (a Wild Card Round loss in 2016) since 2002.
This has led to serious speculation about the team’s starting quarterback, Derek Carr. While Carr has proven to be a valuable commodity at times, he has also failed to lead his team to overall success since he was drafted in 2014.
As Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock wrestle with how to handle the future of the quarterback position, let’s take a look at how Carr graded in 2019.
The Numbers
Carr’s counting stats show that he was a serviceable option last season. He recorded a career-high 4,054 passing yards to go along with 21 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.
This made Carr the eighth-best passer in terms of yards and the 19th best in touchdown passes. His 70.4 percent completion percentage was also second only to NFL leader Drew Brees.
While he did not reach the level of Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors, Carr was certainly better than many starting quarterbacks in 2019. The advanced stats also establish a similar trend. Carr’s 2.4 plus-minus ranked seventh in the league. His 100.8 passer rating was the ninth-highest mark.
Derek Carr was good. But he wasn’t great.
Statistical Grade: B+
The Impact
This is the area that has been Carr’s Achilles heel. While his statistical production has been good, Carr has yet to find a way to lead his team to postseason success.
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For years, the Raiders seemed content to muddle in obscurity while cycling through a different head coach each season. However, Gruden is assuredly seeking to buck the losing trend.
Carr finished 2019 with a 7-9 record while starting all 16 games. His career record with the team is 39-55. While the responsibility of winning certainly falls on more than just one player, Carr does occupy the most important position on the field.
He has consistently shown he is good enough to put his team in a position to play well. The question as to whether or not he can elevate his franchise to success remains to be seen.
This is a problem in a world where the Raiders have to compete in a division with NFL MVP and Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes.
Impact Grade: C-
The Confidence
There is growing speculation that Gruden and Mayock may seek to make a change at the position headed into 2020. During an offseason with several options in the draft and in free agency, the front office would be wise to consider every option as the new regime seeks to hand-select their own player.
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Carr’s stretch of mediocrity has also caused Raider Nation to lose confidence in their signal-caller.
While the move to Las Vegas may be a chance for a fresh start, the fact that he and his teammates were booed off the field in their final home game in Oakland may be a sign that it is time to move on.
Confidence Grade: C
Conclusion
The 2019 season, like most of Carr’s career, is difficult to properly gauge. If you compare him to the era of Terrelle Pryor, Carson Palmer, Jason Campbell, JaMarcus Russell, and Aaron Brooks, then he becomes hyper-valuable.
However, when you factor in his lack of team success and compare him to the best at his position, he is left wanting.
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At the end of the day, Derek Carr grades exactly where the aforementioned factors place him — a middle-of-the-pack option.
Overall 2019 Grade: C+