As the losses continue to rack up for the Oakland Raiders, there are guaranteed to be a number of changes that take place in the franchise in the coming offseason. The team already fired Dennis Allen from his head coach duties. There is speculation that Reggie McKenzie could be next at the general manager position. That leaves very people in the corner of several struggling players including rookie Derek Carr. If things continue, could the quarterback get replaced in the offseason?
Derek Carr was drafted to be the face of the franchise. The Raiders intended to use Matt Schaub as the veteran option for a season or two before handing things over to the rookie. After several failed quarterback attempts, the Raiders did not plan on rushing Carr along hoping that he took a page from the book of Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady who both sat for a few seasons. However, injuries rushed Carr into the lineup and the result has been a winless start to the season. Could Carr get benched in the upcoming season in order to help his development if the Raiders get someone off the free agent market?
The Raiders likely will not draft again. Temptation will be there to draft someone like Jameis Winston, but Carr has not been bad enough to warrant something like that. Instead, the Raiders could target another young veteran to try and be a stop-gap option again. It is clear that Schaub's time in Oakland is over, but could another veteran do what he could not?
In the upcoming offseason, everyone from Mark Sanchez, Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer will be available. All three quarterbacks have expiring deals and either have or are getting ready to prove themselves worthy of a starting spot. If Hoyer is available, Oakland would be wise to jump on board. The veteran quarterback is the reason the Cleveland Browns are in contention for the postseason, but having Johnny Manziel on the roster means Hoyer's return to the Browns is uncertain. If they do not sign him, someone else would and Oakland could take a look.
Sanchez is in a similar position. He will get his first start of the season on Monday after an injury to Nick Foles. Reviews of Sanchez have been positive as he works to make his comeback into the NFL, but he is not the long-term option in Philadelphia. Foles is that player. If this starting stint goes well, Sanchez could catch the Raiders' eyes.
Mallett is looking to prove himself worthy as well as he prepares to start in place of Ryan Fitzpatrick. He is another player that if things go well, he could earn a new deal as a starting quarterback instead of a backup. A new regime will want to bring in their own players and that could be good or bad for Carr. Considering the quarterback options that will be available, the Raiders could make roster adjustments.
