#5 Win over the fans
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Believe it or not, Derek Carr’s battle to keep the starting job will begin before he even sets foot on the field for his first game. In fact, with Marcus Mariota taking a pay cut to stay with the Raiders and Derek Carr being inconsistent during key games, Carr absolutely must win over his detractors if he wants to stay the starter in Vegas. If he is unable to do this, calls will grow for Mariota to take the helm of the newly assembled Las Vegas Raiders offense.
Carr is a better quarterback than Mariota on paper but chokes when it comes to key situations.
#4 Stay in Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock’s favor
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Another thing that Derek Carr needs to accomplish this season is staying in Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden’s favor through the entire season. That means stepping up in key situations, putting in the work before game day, and finding ways to get the best out of his team. Now, Carr will have a plethora of weapons such as Hunter Renfrow, Henry Ruggs III, and Willie Snead, who will all have key roles to play, but the responsibility is now on him to make things happen.
If he isn’t able to do this, though, the Raiders have two options. The first would be to start Marcus Mariota in his place, which could end up being a godsend depending on the work he has put in. Or, the team can go for the nuclear option and acquire Aaron Rodgers by trade. Of course, the Packers will want something in return for such a legendary pick, and that could end up being where either Mariota or Carr ends up. With that being said, if Carr loses the starting job and the Raiders employ the nuclear option, it could be the end of his career.
#3 Be competitive
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One of the problems that many fans in Raider Nation have against Derek Carr is how inconsistent and noncompetitive he can be at times. It’s as if a switch goes off sometimes, and he can’t find a way to get down the field. Now look, Carr isn’t the reason for all nine losses on the Raiders’ schedule last season, especially with how bad the defense was at the time, but he could have put his team in much better situations than he ultimately did.
For example, his 43-6 ass-kicking by the Atlanta Falcons was uncalled for and probably one of the worst moments of the entire season. That was a game they could have and should have won! Fans knew it, the media knew, maybe even Gruden knew it. In the end, Carr couldn’t mount a single touchdown during that game, showing just how ineffective he can be on offense. If that happens again, he could very well lose his job with the Raiders and be looking for greener pastures next season.
#2 Stay healthy
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Let’s be honest here. Fans in Raider Nation were curious when Carr went down with a groin injury and was unable to continue in a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Not only was that due to the fact that this would give Marcus Mariota a chance to show what he could do, but it could also finally prove to Gruden that Mariota was the better option. Fortunately for Carr, however, that didn’t end up happening and the team decided to start Carr only one week after his injury.
In the end, this showed just how little faith they have in Mariota and how expendable to the organization he really is. The problem with that thinking, though, is it could end up being proven wrong if Carr goes down with another injury. Interestingly enough, Carr hasn’t sat out many games during his career, but could easily lose the starting job if he does. In fact, if Carr goes down during a key game and Mariota happens to pick up the win, he could be the favorite moving forward.
#1 Show some fire
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Maybe this is a nitpick, but Derek Carr just never seems to show the kind of fire that you see out of a starting NFL quarterback. While some might think this is a good thing, especially since it allows him to not lose his head under pressure, it can make him look like he doesn’t know what he’s doing out there. Compare that to Marcus Mariota, who pulled off amazing play after amazing play in what would be his only start of the season, and you see someone that looks like they want it.
If nothing else, Carr needs to show that same energy throughout the entire 2021 season if he wants to stay the starter in Las Vegas. Of course, he will face many obstacles in his journey to do that, especially with games against the Ravens, the Steelers, and the Chicago Bears, but it could solidify his spot if he comes out with victories in those matchups.
