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NFL Breakouts 2015: Derek Carr Of Oakland Raiders

By Erik Lambert

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Jun 9, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) at minicamp at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

While all the talk swirls around Teddy Bridgewater and his high expectations after a standout 2015.  That makes it easy to forget that statistically speaking, Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr led all rookies in 2014.  The ironic part of that is he was the last one to be drafted among the four who ended up starting, going early in the second round.

Now the young man quietly continues to elevate the Carr name in NFL circles years after watching his poor older brother David take a beating on some bad teams for so many years.  What makes him a breakout candidate for 2015, first and foremost is his own talent.  Carr showed last season he can pretty much do what he wants on the field.  He has that long arm to connect on passes 50-60 yards down the field, shows underrated mobility to pick up big plays with his feet and has an infectious enthusiasm for the game that should manifest in his teammates with more time.

Then there is the coaching.  The arrival of Jack Del Rio, a man who has had success as a head coach before during his previous stint in Jacksonville brings a tough, defensive mentality but also some motivational skill and understanding of how to develop young quarterbacks, as he did with David Garrard.  He’s joined by Bill Musgrave, a 17-year NFL veteran who has kicked around the league as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.  He helped in the development of Matt Ryan in Atlanta and understands the value of running the ball to ease the pressure on the passing game.

His experience should be invaluable for a young kid like Carr.  Couple that with the arrival of two new targets in Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree and things couldn’t be looking much better.  Cooper is the big play threat with speed down the field, having torched defenses in the SEC the past two years.  Crabtree is the sure-handed possession guy who helped move the chains.

Provided he stays healthy and maintains that needed work ethic, Derek Carr is going to build on his promising rookie season.

Projected 2015 Stats:

  • 3,850 yards passing
  • 61.3 completion %
  • 104 yards rushing
  • 27 touchdowns
  • 14 interceptions

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