Derek Carr will start his first pro game for a team other than the Raiders on Sunday when the Saints take on the Titans.
With 142 starts to his name after being selected in the second round of the 2014 draft, Carr is feeling good heading into the new season in a new situation.
“I feel very confident,” Carr said Wednesday, via John DeShazier of the team’s website. “That is one thing about me, I will never lose confidence whether it goes really great or doesn’t go so great. I always believe in myself and believe in what I can do, but we’ve put a lot of work in since Phase I in April and all the way through until now.
“I’m very confident, but that doesn’t always equal wins. I just want to go out there, compete, play good football, play the type of football I know that I’m capable of, the type of football I’ve been playing all offseason. But it’s going to be tough because we’ve got a tough matchup this week.”
Carr’s tenure with the Raiders didn’t end well, with the quarterback staying away from the team after he was benched late in the year. Las Vegas then tried to trade Carr before ultimately releasing the QB.
His first foray into free agency ended with the coach who helped start his career, as Dennis Allen was fired just a few games into the 2014 season. Carr feels he’s a much better QB now and wants to show that with the coach who drafted him.
“We’re always learning, but I was learning a whole lot then. Had no idea what I was getting myself into, all those kinds of things that all rookies deal with. But I just feel like I’m more now the quarterback I wanted to be for [Allen] then.
“Hopefully, I can be successful and help him have more success. That’s ultimately what I want to do, is just see him succeed. I believe in him so much. It’s a big reason why I came.”
