Ranking AFC West teams by quarterback situation: Patrick Mahomes sets the bar
By Lucas Schuh
No. 2 AFC West QB situation: Las Vegas Raiders
Projected Starter: Derek Carr
Backup: Marcus Mariota, Nathan Peterman
While with the Las Vegas Raiders, Derek Carr has played quality football for most of his career. Carr has produced multiple good seasons with the Raiders with his best season coming in 2016 where he threw for 3,938 yards and 28 touchdowns. Even as Carr continued to show that he is a quality NFL quarterback, it seems as if head coach Jon Gruden has had differing opinions on Carr.
Gruden, at times, has been non-committal at when it comes to Carr’s future as the starting quarterback of the Raiders. At other times, meanwhile, he’s been complimentary of Carr. No matter how Gruden views Carr, he decided to bring in a quarterback that will create a legitimate competition in Vegas.
Marcus Mariota was the starting quarterback for the Titans for most of his career — at least until Ryan Tannehill showed up. In Week 6 of the 2019 season against the Broncos, Mariota was benched for Tannehill and forced to watch from the bench for the rest of the season. Mariota was let go at the end of the year and now finds himself in Vegas competing with Carr.
Carr is the better quarterback between the two but Mariota will certainly give him a run for his money. Based on talent, Carr will likely win the starting job in 2020. However, his contract may mean that the Raiders will make a move at quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft. Regardless, the future is a bit murky given Gruden’s hot-and-cold feelings around Carr.