NFL Rumors: Raiders Looking For Young Players To Surround Derek Carr

The Oakland Raiders will be selecting fourth in the coming 2019 NFL Draft, and most are now speculating on what position they will be filling in with young blood. Unlike other teams who have their sights set on Kyler Murray and Nick Bosa, the Raiders are likely to invest on players that can surround resident quarterback Derek Carr.

Though Carr has not attended the voluntary workout program, the 28-year-old quarterback is expected to be back in June when the nine-week program concludes. As for the 2019 NFL Draft, set to take place on April 25, critics feel that the Raiders will be looking to improve their defensive side or perhaps three offensive starters, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Right now, the Raiders choice is looming as a matter of priority in terms of team needs. Having Carr hardly gives them the need to draft a quarterback although coach Jon Gruden could be thinking otherwise. It all boils down to what he sees during the voluntary workout program as the Raiders try to assemble the right mix of players for the 2019-20 NFL season.

As for Carr, this move should dispel some rumors suggesting that the Raiders would be better off with a different quarterback. Sporting News reported that Carr has already spent time working with wide-receiver Antonio Brown and it looks like both are striking it well.

“I think he’s hungry for success, hungry for turning the organization around, hungry to get on the winning side of things,” Brown said. “I’m hungry for the same thing. I think we stand for the same causes: God-fearing men, family-first type of people, and we just want to be the best at our craft of putting in work, in the meetings (and) on the field.”

Add to the fact that the Raiders have used Carr to lure in wide receivers Ryan Grant and Tyrell Williams, there is no denying that Oakland is trying to move some stones to improve the team’s performance next NFL season.

Carr did not exactly have a great 2018-19 NFL season where the Raiders finished with a 4-12 record. He threw a career-low 19 touchdown passes while getting sacked 51 times.

On the bright side, Carr did amass his first 4,000-yard passing season, had a career-high 68.9-percent completion rate and averaged a career-high 7.3 yards per passing attempt. He has show potential and promise, perhaps the reason why the Raiders are believed to be passing on a quarterback and focus their attention on someone else.