As Bakersfield Christian grad Derek Carr prepares for his third season as starting quarterback, the Raiders renaissance or resurgence looks to continue into next season.
After seven wins last year and all of their offensive starters returning, players and coaches are confident this will be a special season.
The eyes of Raider nation are locked in on one player Bakersfield knows well.
Derek Carr again tasked with leading the Raiders offense was unavailable to talk to the media today but in the offseason said, “I’m in the same system, I have the same coaches for the first time in three years so it’s kind of nice to be able to have that.”
Aside from the coaches, the Raiders also returned all of his favorite targets.
“Them knowing each other and the subtleties of the route running that they do that we can take advantage of and have a big year,” Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said.
Carr is hoping to grow that relationship with one player: second year receiver Amari Cooper who is training camp roommates with Carr.
“We have a lot more time together,” second year wide receiver Amari Cooper said. “More time to talk about things that we want to accomplish. Time to talk about the script because every practice is scripted because every practice is scripted, how he wants me to run certain plays.”
Quarterbacks coach Todd Downing said the key to Carr’s success is finding that rhythm but also knows that he has those other intangibles to win games.
“He sees things a little bit in slow motion,” Downing said. “He’s able to diagnose things real well.”
All that’s left now is to see if that development can lead the Raiders to their first playoff run since 2002.
“We’re just excited to get to work and win games on our own accord, not cause somebody else says we’re going to,” Downing said.
Fans will get their first chance to see where this team is at when they take on the Arizona Cardinals in their first preseason game.
