The Oakland Raiders finished another season without the playoffs in 2019. They began the season 6-4 but went on to lose five of their last six games. In 2020, the Raiders will have a new home town and a new stadium, but they will have the same quarterback.

Derek Carr failed to make the postseason once again but his numbers were strong. He threw for 4,054 yards and 21 touchdowns. His eight interceptions were the second-fewest in a season in his career. Carr set a new high for completion percentage at 70.4%.

The Raiders are set up well for the future with Carr and there are three reasons to remain optimistic.

3. Strong Finish to the Season

Derek Carr, Raiders, Chargers

The Raiders did not make a huge improvement in wins this season but statistically, they took a step forward. Over the last four games of the season, Derek Carr threw five touchdowns and did not turn the ball over. He also finished with at least 260 passing yards in each game.

Carr has proven that he can be a competent quarterback. The entire team as a whole took a step back towards the end of the season. The Raiders should be asking themselves where they would go if they let go of Carr. There is not much better available.

2. Jon Gruden

Raiders, Jon Gruden, Bengals

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Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has had an uncomfortable relationship with his quarterback since he became the head coach in Oakland. As the Raiders prepare to move to Las Vegas, this is a pair that can work long term. Gruden is a coach who knows how to work with quarterbacks. He did it every year before the draft during his time on ESPN.

Derek Carr's future with the team is unknown. However, Gruden is a coach that could work well with Carr and take him to the next level.

1. Supporting Cast

Josh Jacobs, Raiders, Fantasy Football

The Raiders have added pieces in one short year. Oakland allowed 51 sacks in 2018. This forced them to sign Trent Brown and Richie Incognito. The sack total went down to 29 in 2019. Young talent like Josh Jacobs, Hunter Renfrow, and Darren Waller all emerged as legitimate options. The big splash was the addition of Tyrell Williams.

This is a team that has talent. The supporting cast is the most important thing to a quarterback. Just look at Tom Brady and the 2019 New England Patriots. It would be difficult to find a team that sustained success without talent at the skill positions. The Raiders have a lot of that and this is the main reason Derek Carr can be the franchise quarterback they were expecting.