Derek Carr had (arguably) the best season of his career in 2020. He led the Raiders to one of the best offenses in the league and he set career highs nearly across the board. But has he gotten the respect around the league that he deserves after that excellent season?
In a recent article by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he polled league executives, coaches and some players to rank their top-10 quarterbacks entering the 2021 season.
At the top of the list were the quarterbacks you would expect, including Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. But near the bottom, Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray and Matt Stafford were all ranked inside the top-10.
Carr did not show up inside the top-10, but he did get some votes from scouts and evaluators. Here is what one NFC evaluator had to say about Carr and why he deserve to be considered among the best quarterbacks in the league:
“He finally cut it loose as a passer last year. He was much more willing to challenge the defense. He was a high-percentage guy who didn’t attack tight windows. But he did that this year.”
Over the last two seasons, Carr has played extremely well and has certainly elevated his standing around the league. However, he isn’t quite considered a top-10 quarterback yet. But with another strong year, it wouldn’t be surprising if he snuck into the top-10, especially if he can lead the Raiders to the playoffs.
In his fourth year with Jon Gruden, look for Carr to have another excellent season despite NFL decision-makers not believing he is a top-10 quarterback…yet.