Year 3 critical for Gruden-Carr partnership

It’s a nice theory: Relationships are about appreciating the similarities between one another and respecting the differences. Let’s just say those words don’t hang from a wall in the quarterback’s room of the Raiders.

Jon Gruden is the most authoritative of head coaches when it comes to who runs his offense. Derek Carr as a starting quarterback has come to understand this the past two seasons.

Now, for both teacher and student, a critical third one arrives. This might be a maiden voyage for the Raiders in Southern Nevada, but there won’t be any honeymoon period for Carr.

Consider that he is about to enter a seventh year with the franchise, which has earned one playoff berth during that time. The team could release Carr for just $2.5 million in dead money following the season.

These are not difficult dots to connect.

Struggling thus far

The Raiders have offered records of 4-12 and 7-9 since Gruden departed the ESPN booth and returned to the franchise that actually traded him as head coach to Tampa Bay following the 2001 season. So it’s not as if things have been overwhelmingly successful since his return. It’s not as if they have been very good at all.

But he’s not going anywhere. Gruden reportedly signed a 10-year contract worth $100 million to undertake the rebuild. Mark Davis as owner might be frustrated with the severe lack of postseason appearances, but his trust in Gruden reaches far beyond recent results.

“If I can’t get it done, I won’t take the Raiders’ money,” Gruden told USA Today in 2018.

I’m not sure anyone knows what level of success that entails, but you would think 11-21 after two seasons isn’t getting it done. Carr is on even shakier ground should another season pass without a playoff appearance.

How much fault lies at his feet is debatable. It’s never as much as most assume with a quarterback. The defense hasn’t been able to stop air in some time. Carr has played better than 11-21. He just has.

But of all the standards by which a quarterback is judged, number of playoff games ranks among the most important. Carr didn’t even play the one time the Raiders qualified during his tenure. He was out with a fractured fibula when they lost a wild-card game in Houston during the 2016 season.

“I’m just really pleased with the way Derek Carr has taken over this football team,” general manager Mike Mayock said during training camp. “And it goes back to the offseason. It goes back to all the workouts he had with the players and the players just confirming their buy-in. And that’s been awesome. I think Derek is just a natural. I think he gets better every day with (Gruden) in year three. “

Carr produced career highs in completion percentage (70.4) and passing yards (4,054) last season while accounting for 21 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. He was, statistically, a top 10 quarterback. He really hasn’t had any bad seasons, in terms of numbers, since entering the NFL.

He just needs to translate stats into more wins.

Be like Rich

Rich Gannon played under Gruden in Oakland from 1999-2001, and it was in that third season when the quarterback saw a jump in production by throwing for a career-high 27 touchdowns. Carr now gets that same chance.

Same system. Same voice in the ear. Same demanding expectations.

“What’s nice about being in this offense for the third year, you can move through it even faster,” Carr said. “I thought last year was fun. This year is even more fun. This league nowadays, especially for young quarterbacks, you’re in then you’re out. You got a new coach, you got a new this. Everyone is trying to get new everything, whereas this is my third year with (Gruden). We’re talking the same language.”

If such communication is good enough to produce a playoff spot, a fourth year of Gruden and Carr should follow.

If not, well, the third time won’t be a charm. More likely, a divorce.

Ed Graney is a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing and can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.