5 most overrated players in Raiders history ft. Derek Carr 

Denver Broncos v Las Vegas Raiders
Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders have a long and complicated NFL history. Originally playing out of Oakland as the AFL's Bay Area representative, they were moved to Los Angeles in 1982 at the behest of then-owner Al Davis, staying there for a dozen more seasons before returning to Oakland. They moved once again to Nevada in 2020.

Over that time, many players have donned the famed silver and black jersey. Several Raiders are in the Hall of Fame, including Fred Biletnikoff, Dave Casper, Ray Guy, Howie Long, Marcus Allen, Tim Brown and Charles Woodson.

And then there are a few whose contributions were less than influential during their time with the franchise. Here's a closer look at five of the most overrated players in Las Vegas Raiders history.


5 overrated players in Las Vegas Raiders history

#5. Nnamdi Asomugha

2010 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award
2010 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Nnamdi Asomugha is considered one of the best defensive backs in Raiders history. He was a four-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler when wearing the silver and black jersey, but those achievements are overshadowed by the general state of the team at the time.

He also had the misfortune of being drafted in the same year the Raiders began their shocking downfall following their Super Bowl XXXVII appearance. Thus, he had no winning record, let alone playoff appearance.

#4) Darren Waller

Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Midway through the 2018 season, the Oakland Raiders found a dynamo when they signed tight end Darren Waller. The 2015 sixth-round pick and former wide receiver never got to show his potential with the Baltimore Ravens, receiving multiple substance abuse suspensions before being replaced by Mark Andrews.

Then he broke out in the next two seasons, hitting 1,000 yards in both of them. But the Raiders were mediocre at best, and when they did revisit the playoffs in 2021, he was a middling player. It was perhaps no wonder he was later traded to the New York Giants in 2023 to make room for Michael Mayer and now Brock Bowers.

#3) Charlie Garner

NFL: USA TODAY Sports-Archive
NFL: USA TODAY Sports-Archive

Was Charlie Garner one of the best dual-threat running backs at the turn of the millennium? By the time he reached his first Pro Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers across the Bay, he had a strong case.

But his stint with the Raiders represents an interesting dynamic. Despite being a versatile weapon (900 yards both rushing and receiving in 2002), he was a largely anonymous presence when compared to Hall of Famers Tim Brown and Jerry Rice.

#2) Bill Romanowski

Oakland Raiders v Denver Broncos
Oakland Raiders v Denver Broncos

Bill Romanowski is arguably one of the most controversial players in NFL history. And yet weirdly, he was also one of the most accomplished – with four Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos, plus a fifth appearance with the Raiders.

But his time in Oakland is one that the Black Hole would rather forget. Losing to his former coach's Tampa Bay Buccaneers already hurt enough, but then he decided to punch tight end Marcus Williams during practice.

#1) Derek Carr

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Seattle Seahawks
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Seattle Seahawks

Where to even begin with Derek Carr?

The man is the Raiders' undisputed all-time leader in most passing categories (3,201 completions for 35,222 yards and 217 touchdowns against 99 interceptions) and helped bring positional stability that the team had been lacking since Rich Gannon. However, he also failed to display the winning mentality that Ken Stabler and Jim Plunkett had.

In fact, he was often quite the opposite, losing many winnable games in 2022. That majorly factored into his benching towards the end, and eventual release.

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Edited by Veer Badani