3. Derek Carr
This is a player that can be flipped to number two, but we also live in the “what have you done for me lately” society.
The NFL society tells us Derek Carr regressed in 2017. Sure, the Oakland Raiders hired a future Hall of Fame coach, but it doesn’t always take just one coach or one move to fix a player.
One of the biggest reasons Carr struggled was comfortability with his offensive coordinator.
Carr lost offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave to the Denver Broncos last season. Once that happened his talent didn’t match his on-field production.
Carr became inaccurate, his footwork was terrible, and poor decision making resulted in him being flustered a lot. He has shown the talent to be a top 10 quarterback in the NFL, but where it has gone is a mystery.
Both Mahomes and Carr are the two most talented quarterbacks in the AFC West. By talent alone, those two rank one and two, but the whole body of work suggests they both need work.
This leaves two quarterbacks left. One is a future Hall of Famer and the other is seeing his career take flight…