Oakland Raiders: Expectations for Derek Carr in 2015

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Sep 11, 2015

A new season is here for the Oakland Raiders as they prepare to bounce back from their 3-13 record of last season and hopefully see a big leap forward in the progression of quarterback Derek Carr towards much better results. After all, great franchises are usually led by great quarterbacks as Carr has the skill-set to really pick up where he left off from last season.

ALSO ON NFL SPIN ZONE: Who are truly the greatest wide receivers of all-time in the NFL?

In his rookie season of 2014, Carr totaled 3,270 passing yards for 21 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 76.6. It might not show in the overall record of the Raiders but Carr showed a ton of promise and hope that he can indeed be the franchise quarterback they’ve been looking for all these years.

More from Las Vegas Raiders

Keep in mind Carr put up decent stats with virtually no supporting cast built around him on offense but he did the best he could do with what he had. The Raiders know in order for him to grow and develop into the kind of high quality quarterback they need for long-term success, he’s going to have to emerge and prove he’s capable of winning football games thanks to his potent arm and execution.

Thankfully, the Raiders gave Carr the perfect weapon to add to his arsenal when they drafted wide receiver Amari Cooper with their first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. The bond between a quarterback and receiver can be developed into quite the impact duo if they can create a consistent rhythm to not only keep those chains moving but score game-changing touchdowns on key drives.

Carr is expected to have a much more aggressive style of play in his sophomore season which should yield much better results for the Raiders’ offense this time around. Last season it was evident the Raiders were more conservative with what Carr brings to the table instead of unleashing him with his true potential to be the next top gunslinger of the NFL.

Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave needs to make sure that this year’s playbook allows Carr to use his strengths instead of playing conservative just to not create turnovers. You won’t win many football games if you don’t take chances, especially on deep passes down the field to really air things out.

August 30, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) during the first quarter in a preseason NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals at O.co Coliseum. The Cardinals defeated the Raiders 30-23. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

With a revamped offensive line, a better running back in Latavius Murray and a much better receiving corps with Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Rod Streeter and Andre Holmes leading the way, Carr is in a great position to really exceed expectations in 2015.

This upcoming season for the Raiders will pretty much land on how well the team comes together and what kind of consistent performance Carr delivers throughout the season. If he can put all the pieces together, the Raiders actually have just enough talent to warrant an 8-8 or maybe even a 9-7 season.

Overall, expectations are high yet somewhat under the radar for Carr and his Raiders. Most analysts and fans don’t expect much but if Carr can start to play with more of a fire under his demeanor heading into his second season, he could very well take the NFL by storm.

Next: Oakland Raiders Week 1 Game Keys To Success

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Las Vegas Raiders