NFL Players, Like Derek Carr, Preparing Differently

NFL quarterbacks are all preparing for the 2020 season differently. The Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr is one of them. But some quarterbacks faced different times, different but similar to now.

Nine years ago, there was a league-wide lockout. I am not equating the COVID-19 pandemic to that, but it did create a different time that the quarterbacks had to lead from outside their team facilities.

My Sports Illustrated colleague Albert Breer addressed this very topic. There are only eight remaining starting signal-callers in the NFL from that season, and he spoke with one., Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons.

Ryan told Breer: "The difference this year, with COVID, is limits on the number of players that can get together, trying to practice social distancing, and making sure that everybody's staying safe. I think that part's been different. The groups of guys that have gotten together for us, as a team, have been smaller than they were that lockout year, but the work has been really effective."

We know that Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has worked out locally in a city park. For Carr, who possesses a substantial leadership gift, it was a chance to get reps in with teammates, while facing perhaps an even more serious difficulty than just COVID-19.

Still can’t believe Peyton Manning joined us for practice back in April ⁦@derekcarrqb⁩ pic.twitter.com/QNlHQN5HYe
— Hoku (@hokucurnan) June 14, 2020

For Carr, his team and his family had to move. Carr and his Raiders packed up the moving trucks and traveled 558 miles to Las Vegas. So for the Raiders unquestioned leader, it is dealing with COVID-19 and a significant move.

No one else has endured that.

Again, Breer addressed this offseason by saying: "The NFL allows for a nine-week offseason program for teams, with the first two weeks being designated as 'dead ball.' That leaves seven weeks for quarterbacks and skill players to throw and catch. Via Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex, the guys have still gotten their classroom work with coaches (that's another difference from 2011), which has left quarterbacks to make up for the field work."

That is why Carr and his teammates have had to meet away from the new palatial Raiders complex here in Henderson.

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