The Oakland Raiders have lost two consecutive games, putting their chances of making the playoffs in jeopardy. During the team's two-game losing streak, Derek Carr has struggled to play up the standards that are expected of him.
Due to his recent play on the field, the Raiders should seriously consider looking for Carr's replacement in the offseason.
Last week, Carr and the Raiders squared off against the Kansas City Chiefs in a crucial AFC West showdown. Over his entire career, Carr has failed to deliver in Arrowhead Stadium, losing in all six games.
Derek Carr at Arrowhead vs. Chiefs:
2014: 27/56 for 222 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
2015: 21/33 for 194 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
2016: 17/41 for 117 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
2017: 24/41 for 211 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
2018: 24/33 for 185 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
2019: 12/21 for 152 yards, 0 TD, 2 INTYikes.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) December 1, 2019
By adding those numbers up, Carr has combined for only 1,081 yards, three touchdowns, and seven interceptions versus the Chiefs on the road. Those numbers don't bode well for Carr's chances of remaining Oakland's quarterback of the future.
After this season, the Raiders are slated to make the move to Las Vegas when their new stadium is done being built. When they make the trek over to the Entertainment Capital of the World, the fans will want to see their team win games in their new home.
For Oakland to take the next step, they have to be able to compete with the Chiefs for the AFC West crown. But with Carr's limitations, it's tough to believe that the Raiders can take that next step under Jon Gruden.
Back in 2016, Carr was able to put together an MVP-caliber season in his third season in the NFL. The former second-round pick out of Fresno State was able to throw for 3,937 yards, 28 touchdowns, and only six interceptions in 15 starts.
Following that season, the Raiders chose to give Carr a five-year, $125 million contract. By doing so, Oakland was placing a ton of confidence in Carr to lead their franchise moving forward.
Since receiving the contract, the sixth-year quarterback hasn't lived up to the expectations he was given. In his past 43 starts, Carr has combined for 10,388 yards, 57 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions.
Above all, the Raiders have gone 16-27 in that span and have two seasons where they have missed the playoffs. If Carr isn't able to finish strong in 2019, it's very likely that it becomes three consecutive seasons of sitting at home in January for Oakland.
After this year, Carr is under contract with the Raiders through the 2022 season. However, by trading or releasing Carr before June 1st of 2020, Oakland would only incur a dead-cap of $5 million next year.
Furthermore, by trading or releasing Carr after June 1st in 2020, the dead-cap would only be $2.5 million—saving the team $19 million. Whether it be through the draft, by trade, or free agency, Oakland has to consider making a change at quarterback in 2020.
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