Some fans of the Las Vegas Raiders believe that it is time to find a quarterback to replace Derek Carr. Despite the criticism that Carr has received in recent seasons, Darren Waller continues to vehemently defend his quarterback.
“I’m in the building every day and I see the chemistry between the quarterback and the coach, and the general manager coming around and just how everyone feels about having our quarterback in the building and the impact he has on our team,” Waller said, via raidersbeat.com.
“I guess people may think that because our team is young that they may want someone fresh in there. I don’t know. I can’t really find a good reason because I see all the reasons that [Carr] should still be here. And I’m extremely grateful that he is still with us.”
Waller signed with the Raiders prior to the 2018 season after spending his first two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. In his first season with the Raiders, Waller didn't contribute much, catching six passes for 75 yards.
However, in 2019, Waller built a decent rapport with Carr. He hauled in a career-high 90 receptions for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns. As a result of his breakout season, Las Vegas signed Waller to a four-year extension last October.
While Waller isn't the vocal leader in the locker room, he notices the work that Carr is putting in behind closed doors. At the same time, Waller is grateful that Carr is the quarterback throwing him passes.
Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, the Raiders could turn some heads by taking a quarterback with one of their two first-round picks. Regardless of what everyone thinks Las Vegas should do, Waller is confident that Carr is the long-term solution under center.