Raiders QB Derek Carr Ranked Below Average in His Decision-Making

The Las Vegas Raiders are heading into a season in which the pressure to make the playoffs has never been higher. Derek Carr is coming off one of his best seasons and the Raiders added a game-changing wide receiver in Davante Adams. Pair him up with an excellent slot receiver and a dynamic tight end and not much should be able to get in the way of the Raiders in 2022.

However, is it possible that the Raiders don’t meet expectations because of their quarterback? In a recent study done by PFF, Derek Carr ranked 22nd in the NFL in terms of his decision-making:

The writers at PFF believe this chart shows you the difference between elite quarterbacks and average ones.

The graph is telling. Elite quarterbacks Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers lead the way as the best decision-makers from the past three years, and the list generally confirms our prior thoughts on good quarterbacks… This essentially captures a baseline from which QB production can begin. Brady creates better opportunities for himself than Nick Foles does, which is borne out in this data. 

PFF

Regardless of what you may think of Derek Carr, most people in the NFL that have watched the tape of the Raiders quarterback know he isn’t ranked nearly as low as PFF suggests in their decision-making study. In fact, last year alone, Derek Carr ranked 14th in PFF’s quarterback grade.

The addition of Davante Adams should really help the Raiders offense because teams will not be able to bracket his top targets. Instead, the Raiders quarterback should be able to spread the ball at will. At the same time, the Raiders have added a number of good players on the defensive side of the ball which should help close out games.