The Super Bowl is over and we are now officially in the 2021 offseason. For the Raiders and the other 31 teams around the NFL, it’s now time to rebuild and retool as they prepare to knock off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Heading into the 2021 offseason, where do the Raiders stand compared to the rest of the NFL? Well, as you would expect, right in the middle. In a recent article by ESPN’s 32 beat writers, they ranked the teams from 1-32 with the Chiefs still holding onto the No. 1 spot.
According to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez, the biggest question surrounding the Raiders remains Derek Carr. Despite performing at an elite level, Gutierrez still wonders if the team might move on from him this offseason. Here are his thoughts on Carr and the Raiders heading into 2021:
“Welcome to the annual offseason tradition in Raider Nation in which the most polarizing figure in franchise history is either getting more firmly entrenched or being shipped out of town. Last year, it was Tom Brady who was going to replace Carr — allegedly — and now it’s Aaron Rodgers and/or Deshaun Watson. Never mind that it’s the Raiders’ defense that needs a major overhaul. When it comes to the Raiders and Carr, he is the franchise QB … until he isn’t. And nothing, shy of an actual move, will squelch that speculation”
While rumors and speculation have run wild with Carr, we expect him to return to Las Vegas for the 2021 season and play at a high level. The Raiders aren’t going to move on from him unless they get a clear upgrade and outside of Deshaun Watson, that doesn’t feel all that likely.
If the Raiders can improve their defense this offseason, they have a chance to be a playoff team this year. But we’ve been saying that for the past three seasons and it appears the defense is only getting worse. It’s a huge offseason for Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden and it’s one they need to win if they want their team to take the next step.
