A lot of expectations surround the Las Vegas Raiders as the 2022 NFL season approaches.
Not only are there standards the team is anticipated to meet as a whole, but it seems that every star player has projected milestones of their own that the NFL world is holding them to.
Here are my predictions for three of the Raiders' star players on offense next season:
Derek Carr: Pro Bowl
I don't know if there's more pressure on any individual Raider than quarterback Derek Carr heading into this season.
For the entirety of his eight seasons in the NFL, Carr has always seemed to be on the bubble that rests between just above average and elite status. Now that the veteran has perhaps the best team on paper he's ever had in his career, NFL fans will be giving him no room for excuses in the 2022 season.
It has been almost five years since Carr made his last Pro Bowl, which was the third of his three-straight selections. Despite throwing for more total yards in every single season since the quarterback has not made a return.
I expect that to change this year.
Carr, who will have two of the league's best wide receivers in Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow at his disposal -- along with tight end Darren Waller -- will surpass his career-high mark of 4,804 passing yards from last season.
He will lead Las Vegas back to the postseason and add another trip to the Pro Bowl to his belt.
Davante Adams: Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro
Adams had a career-best 1,553 receiving yards last season, earning himself Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. While I don't believe the league's best wideout will reach the 1,500 mark this season, -- given that Carr also has two Pro-Bowl caliber receivers he will be throwing to -- I think his Pro Bowl/first-team All-Pro streak is to continue.
This has been a major discussion topic in the NFL media over the past few weeks.
To put it simply, I don't believe the location change will have the negative effect some believe it will.
We've heard it all offseason: Carr and Adams will reunite for the first time since their college days at Fresno State. Yes, it seems to be overused by now, but it really is as significant as it's made out to be. These two have discussed pairing up for a while now, and with Adams in the prime of his career and Carr wanting to make a statement as a winning quarterback, I just don't see this not playing out the way it should.
Darren Waller: 1,000-plus receiving yards
Another Pro Bowl appearance for Waller seems unlikely this season, considering he will be probably be overshadowed by his colleagues Adams and Renfrow.
If he stays healthy, though, there's no reason this tight end can't be back in the 1,000-yard receiving range like in his 2019 and 2020 seasons.
https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/news/las-vegas-raiders-derek-carr-davante-adams-darren-waller-2022-season-predictions
