Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr proved himself as the future of the franchise last season, and the Raiders showed strong improvement under first year head coach Jack Del Rio.
The Raiders look to be moving in the right direction, which is something that Silver and Black fans have been waiting for a long time, as they haven't made the playoffs since they lost the Super Bowl during the 2002 regular season. Carr proved himself last season, completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 3,987 yards and throwing 32 touchdowns to 13 interceptions.
The Raiders are confident in Carr, and Del Rio said that he believes the Raiders quarterback took a significant jump last season, and that the team's realistic goal for the 2016 season is to win the AFC West. While the Raiders are clearly sold on Carr as the future of the franchise, they do not want to lose backup quarterback Matt McGloin, who the team reportedly gave a second-round tender.
The terms of the tender give McGloin a $2.553 million salary during the 2016 season, but they allow other teams to negotiate with the former Penn State quarterback. Oakland's front office can match any offer he receives around the league to retain McGloin and would receive a second-round pick should he sign an offer from another franchise that the Raiders are not willing to match.
The move is expected to keep McGloin in Oakland next season and provides the Silver and Black with a valid backup option should anything happen to Carr in 2016. The 26-year-old quarterback has shown himself a legitimate backup quarterback in limited time in Oakland, and he has thrown for 1,818 yards with 11 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in three seasons with the Raiders.
With the quarterback position solidified for the 2016 season, general manager Reggie McKenzie will focus his attention on filling holes on the Raiders roster this offseason. The Raiders lost two key players to retirement in Charles Woodson and Justin Tuck following the 2015 season, and they will look to fill needs at cornerback, safety, offensive line and inside linebacker both through the draft and free agency.
The Raiders currently have the second most salary cap room in the NFL behind only the Jacksonville Jaguars, and don't be surprised if they are major players in the free agent market, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
