Raiders’ Derek Carr works to be quicker on feet

NAPA, Calif. — Derek Carr was sacked a career-high 51 times in 2018 behind a rookie left tackle with recurring knee issues, a rookie right tackle transitioning from a lower Division I level and two injury-maligned guard spots.

Even so.

“They weren’t all on the offensive line,” Carr said of the sacks Saturday. “That’s my fault. I take credit for all of it.”

The Raiders quarterback is entering his second season in coach Jon Gruden’s system. Given that added comfort, he’s focused on being quicker on his feet, making more timely decisions in the pocket that include knowing when his best option is to scramble.

In 2014, Carr clocked a solid 4.69 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He also posted the second-fastest time in the 20-yard shuttle, 4.20 seconds, of all quarterbacks there.

Carr has more athleticism at his disposal than his career-low 47 rushing yards last season may indicate.

“Yes, I need to do it better,” Carr said of scrambling. “It’s something that we all know, too, especially in the second year of a system, it’s easier to get through your progressions faster. In my head, I can eliminate things versus certain coverages, and I can then get out and extend it whereas last year I’m trying to do it so perfect. …

“So, scrambling is actually something we have worked on a lot. It’s something where (a) coach will tell the DB, ‘Hey, jump this,’ so that I can’t throw it, and it makes me scramble. We had one today on 7-on-7 where I had to get out and scramble. That is something that I’ve really tried to work hard on, to be honest with you, all offseason because I feel like I am athletic enough to do some damage that way. I haven’t done that well enough, and I plan on doing that.”

Notable

— More than 100 former Raiders players met in Napa to attend the team’s alumni weekend. The gathering included Tom Flores, Lester Hayes, Mike Haynes and Jim Plunkett. Hayes and Haynes addressed defensive players on the field for about five minutes during practice. Several alumni signed autographs for some of the approximately 800 season-ticket holders who watched the session.

— As expected, wide receiver Antonio Brown (undisclosed), fullback Keith Smith (knee surgery) and guard Denzelle Good (back surgery) did not practice. Of the three, Brown is slated to resume on-field action the soonest. “He’s fine,” Carr said.

— The Raiders will practice Sunday from around 9 a.m. to noon. Offensive coordinator Greg Olson, left tackle Kolton Miller, right tackle Trent Brown and running back Doug Martin are scheduled to hold news conferences after the session, the team announced.

— Although the franchise remains in Oakland another year, signs of Las Vegas are here. Corporate sponsors MGM Resorts International and Caesars Rewards are represented among the Raiders’ on-field sponsors. This marks the first such signage for Las Vegas companies at the team’s Napa training camp.

— Left guard Richie Incognito opened camp as the first-team left guard, but Jonathan Cooper is expected to transition into that work over the next month. The NFL recently suspended Incognito two games, citing violations of its personal conduct policy.

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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.