KC Chiefs: Quarterback situation in AFC West before free agency begins

OAKLAND RAIDERS

This time last year, the Oakland Raiders were pretty much crowned as the winners of the AFC West and many were picking them to be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl. The Raiders ended up going 6-10 and landing a top ten pick in the draft.

So many people were giving the Raiders props because of Derek Carr‘s nice 2016 season, which he didn’t live up to at all in 2017. For one, his team won just six games with him at the helm and there were games where he played downright awful.

I’m not sold on the Raiders being all that good in 2018, but that’s because I’m also not sold on Derek Carr

Carr’s 2017 season ended with him throwing for 3,496 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He missed one game with a back injury and EJ Manuel stepped in and played fine, but Oakland would lose that game.

The Raiders also have Connor Cook on their roster and he didn’t see the field at all in 2017. He could end up being their backup option in 2018, but it also wouldn’t be surprising for Oakland to sign someone in free agency (maybe a Matt Moore or Derek Anderson type of player).

Even after a 6-10 season, there will be a lot of hype for the Raiders due to them hiring Jon Gruden as their head coach. Gruden hasn’t coached in a decade yet he was worth firing Jack Del Rio over, a guy who got them to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

I’m not sold on the Raiders being all that good in 2018, but that’s because I’m also not sold on Derek Carr. The good news for the Raiders is that he’ll only be 27 years old next season and there’s time for him to get back to that 2016 form. Hopefully, at least for the Chiefs sake, that doesn’t happen.