Smack dab in the middle of an impressive start to the season, Oakland Raiders second-year quarterback Derek Carr is making the team look pretty smart for stealing him in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. No, the Raiders aren't all of a sudden competing for the playoffs, but Carr and the offense have looked much improved compared to last year.
Despite the improvement, the offensive unit still has a lot of room to grow.
Oakland selected tight end Clive Walford in the third-round of this year's draft and he finally made his first impact play in the NFL in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos. Walford practically laid out for a 33-yard pass which set the Raiders up nicely at the goal line. Though Oakland would go on to lose that game 16-10, it was a positive step for the rookie pass-catcher.
Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio thinks there's more to come from Walford.
"I think he's a guy that will begin to emerge more and more," Del Rio said via ESPN.com. "Good to see him getting more involved and we'll continue to look for ways to do that."
Even Carr recognizes the potential Walford has and is optimistic about his immediate future on the field.
"He knows right where to line up," Carr said. "He doesn't give a look every time you break the huddle. That's easier on me. When he comes in the game, we don't even worry about it. We're just excited to see the plays that he's making down the field."
The Raiders have a bye this week before they take on the San Diego Chargers on October 25. Perhaps fans will see more of Walford in the passing game then.