Raiders' McDaniels Comments at NFL Combine on Carr Have Country Talking

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.--Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels gave some insight into his next chapter in Las Vegas when he spoke with the NFL NOW panel at the NFL Combine on Wednesday.

McDaniels said Raiders General Manager Mark Davis is the primary factor that gives him confidence with his new team.

"I didn't know him, and so when I came out and met him for the very first time, he made a huge impression on me," McDaniels said. "His commitment to the organization, his commitment to the Raiders, the history, the tradition of this organization, Raider Nation, the state of Nevada, the city of Las Vegas -- it was very clear to me what he wants to do.

"And I think that made a huge impression on myself, Dave Ziegler as well and just gave me confidence that he's got it in his mind what he wants and then as we went through the process of discussing kind of how I see it and the vision that I have for the football team and building it the right way. There was so much synergy and we were in sync with most of that stuff that I just felt like this is a really good opportunity."

McDaniels reiterated what he has said before in that he looks forward to working with a veteran quarterback like Derek Carr.

"I'm excited," McDaniels said. "Really had an opportunity to meet him a number of times already. He's there, he stays there with his family. Faith, family and football are really important to him. And so look, he's been a leader of this franchise for a number of years. I'm getting to know him as a person, I'll get to know him more as a player, more than what I've just been able to see on tape as we go into the spring and into the summer."

McDaniels said Carr will "absolutely" be starting in Week 1.

Hondo S. Carpenter Sr., has reported since before McDaniels took the job, that Carr was one of the keys to Mark Davis landing the highly sought-after McDaniels. Despite all of the reporting, Derek Carr's haters, a minority of the fans but a very vocal group, wanted none of that.

Perhaps now the criticism will cease as McDaniels again makes it clear that Derek Carr is the franchise quarterback of the Silver and Black.

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