Is Derek Carr an elite QB? Raiders fans have questions

At long last, the Raiders open training camp next week. Meanwhile, their fans are excited to finally see what this year’s version of the Silver and Black are all about.

Questions abound, about Derek Carr and the Raiders’ chances of competing for an AFC West title.

Here is a sampling of what arrived in this week’s Raiders mailbag:

Ben Markus (@CPRMarkus): Is Derek Carr elite?

VINCENT BONSIGNORE: No doubt that is a compelling question. And with everything being so subjective, it’s difficult to answer. But here is an interesting way to look at it.

Below are the comparative career stats for Carr and Matthew Stafford, who helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl championship last season after languishing for so many years in Detroit. The breakdown is courtesy of statspros.com.

Completion percentage: 65.0 for Carr to 63.0 for Stafford; Touchdown percentage: 4.3 for Carr to 4.7 for Stafford; Interception percentage: 1.9 for Carr to 2.4 for Stafford; Yards per pass attempt: 7.1 for Carr to 7.3 for Stafford; Yards per completion: 10.9 for Carr to 11.6 for Stafford; Quarterback Rating: 92.1 for Carr to 89.9 for Stafford.

As you can see, they are pretty close in so many categories. And as we all saw last season, Stafford, when surrounded by much better talent and coaching in Los Angeles compared to Detroit, saw his numbers go up. He not only won his first playoff game as an NFL quarterback, he took the Rams to a Super Bowl win.

Does that make Stafford an “elite” quarterback? That is probably in the eye of each individual beholder.

Is he good enough to help lead a team to a championship?

Well, there is no questioning that anymore.

All of which begs the question: Given how Carr’s stats so closely mirror Stafford’s, doesn’t it stand to reason that, surrounded by sufficient talent and coaching, he too is capable of leading a team to a championship?

Shawn Johnson (@Godfather_JS): What do the Raiders do with their 20 million-plus in cap space? Ndamukong Suh? Darren Waller extension?

VB: On paper, the Raiders have $21,604,843 in cap space. However, it would be presumptuous to think the Raiders have a $20-million cash surplus to tap into.

That said, depending on how training camp plays out, including the potential for injuries, the Raiders are well positioned to get some help if need be. For now, though, don’t expect any major expenditures.

reverend rico (@theericmoss): Is this our last year of Josh Jacobs? Without the team picking up that option, it doesn’t seem realistic for him to re-sign next year.

VB: There is a long way to go before writing off Jacobs as a long-term Raider, even with the club’s decision to decline to pick up his fifth-year option. However, no matter how this season plays out for him, the sense is the Raiders have a financial number in mind that they would be comfortable with to bring him back and are comfortable letting him walk if that doesn’t meet his number or match/surpass what he believes he can get on the open market.

AH3 (@Andy32RJO): Do the Raiders have a realistic shot at the playoffs playing in the AFC West?

VB: Yes.

Ricardo Peña (@Ricardo31768549): How soon would you expect the new regime to notice if a personnel move is needed?

VB: After the second preseason game.

DrD (@DrDraiders): Which position group are you most curious about coming into camp? Likewise, is it the group with the most depth or potential “surprises”?

VB: Really fascinated by the cornerbacks the Raiders brought in, and the progress that Trayvon Mullen has made coming off foot surgery.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.