Derek Carr holds future of Oakland Raiders in his hands
Now that the Oakland Raiders have turned the offense over to Derek Carr, the future of the organization rests on the rookie's shoulders.
The team's braintrust hopes Carr "takes the job and runs with it," turning Matt Schaub into an $8 million afterthought, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday's edition of NFL Total Access.
In fact, Rapoport disclosed that Schaub's sore elbow simply provided "cover" to implement the plan that had been building for months: Giving the job to Carr.
Although Carr saw limited preseason action against first-team defenses, Rapoport passes along scuttlebutt from league sources who have studied the film that Carr is indeed ready to take over.
NFL Media's Albert Breer heard from a number of evaluators prior to the 2014 NFL Draft that Carr was the best quarterback in the class.
In Oakland's dream scenario, Carr makes good on that promise and emerges as the organization's answer to Russell Wilson.
As Rapoport points out, Seattle created the modern model for filling a quarterback void: Throw money at veterans acquired via free agency or trade and select a quarterback in the first three rounds of the draft.
Before Wilson emerged as the face of that franchise, the front office overspent for veteran flameouts Charlie Whitehurst, Tarvaris Jackson and Matt Flynn.
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, who worked in the Packers front office with Seahawks general manager John Schneider, followed that blueprint to a tee in trading for and overpaying a diminished Schaub before drafting Carr.
The difference is the Seahawks never spent the offseason and summer unleashing a propaganda campaign that touted Whitehurst or Flynn as one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL, on par with Peyton Manning and ready to orchestrate a Super Bowl run.
If Carr pans out, the Schaub debacle will continue to fade in the rear-view mirror. If Carr faceplants, the Raiders' offseason machinations will not only cost McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen their jobs, but also threaten the franchise's future in Oakland.
It won't take long to find out how the rookie handles pressure.
