The Las Vegas Raiders added a boost to the backfield in the form of Kenyan Drake this NFL offseason. The surplus of weapons on offense bodes well for quarterback Derek Carr in the 2021 NFL season.
There was once again plenty of speculation regarding Carr’s future as the centerpiece of the offense in Las Vegas. However, head coach Jon Gruden, general manager Mike Mayock and several teammates have since endorsed him as the one that will get them back to the playoffs.
The Raiders added some new weapons to the passing game with wide receivers John Brown and Willie Snead IV. Meanwhile, Drake has embraced the prospect of utilizing his versatility as another viable option out of the backfield.
The new additions have relished in the benefit of a full offseason now that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is nearing its end. It appears it has not taken long for Carr to make an impression on Drake and the other recent arrivals.
“Derek Carr is very cerebral,” Drake said. “Obviously, he’s been in this offense for a while, this league for a while. Arm strength is uncanny. Real, real just keen leadership skills and really commands the attention and respect of everybody in the huddle once we get in there. But also, is a real chill, laid back guy. I’ve been to his house, met his family, had a cookout with him and a few other teammates. He’s just a real open person and player. So, it’s really cool to from afar see how he is and how he manages the team and the team’s success, but up close and personal definitely respect the guy and want to continue to see how far we can take this ride this year.”
The fact that Drake has already gotten so well-acquainted with Carr during the offseason is a positive sign of the rapport this team has built. It is also indicative of the latter’s efforts as the leader to make it come to fruition.
Despite a disappointing end to the 2020 campaign, Carr posted career highs in passing yards (4,103), yards per completion (11.8), quarterback rating (101.4) and total QBR (71.0). This helped the offense finish 10th in the league in scoring with 27.1 points per game.
Drake’s comments and Carr’s track record make it easy to see why the Raiders were content with their situation under center. It will be interesting to see if he can top his numbers from last year with all the new weapons at his disposal.
