The Las Vegas Raiders were adamant about doing their due diligence at the quarterback position this offseason.
Of course, this led to plenty of speculation regarding the uncertain future of quarterback Derek Carr coming off a 2019 campaign that saw the team miss the postseason once again. The Raiders had been linked to the sweepstakes for quarterback Tom Brady in free agency before they ultimately opted to sign former Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Las Vegas is now set to usher in a new era at Allegiant Stadium in the 2020 NFL season and Carr will be the one tasked with helping kick things off in style. It seems all the noise surrounding him has not gone unnoticed.
Carr recently took to Twitter to deliver a message for the doubters:
Appreciate you!! Don't care anymore about the noise. I really use to care a lot about making everybody happy bro. That's over. I don't need any new friends in this football thing. I'm here to win and plan on doing so with my teammates this year! https://t.co/PZmgWs2tXR
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) April 10, 2020
Although Carr’s message may have cryptic referenced his situation with the Raiders, he made sure to reiterate his dedication to the team.
Always been here bro don't let people fool you. We just need to get back in the playoffs and make a run! Energy/ mentality/ work is always here. I love this team more than ANYONE I've never done anything but give my heart for this place! We are coming back!! Have to!!! https://t.co/T5taoRNvjZ
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) April 10, 2020
Carr’s comments indicate that he seems to be adamant about taking a different mental approach this time around. Although he has always made efforts to understand the frustration with the Raiders’ struggles, it appears he is adamant about ensuring that it is no longer an issue.
After all, the Raiders have ushered in some significant changes since the arrival of head coach Jon Gruden. The team’s efforts to seek out other alternatives before signing Mariota has seemingly added fuel to the fire for Carr.
Carr threw for 4,054 yards, 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions en route to missing the playoffs with a 7-9 record. Although he largely struggled to find his footing on a consistent basis, his shortcomings could be attributed to a lack of weapons in the passing game.
The Raiders still have yet to address this need in free agency after most of their notable signings came on the defensive side of the ball. Fortunately, they will still have a chance to fill the void in a 2020 NFL Draft that is expected to feature one of the deepest receiver classes in recent history.
