Following his departure from Pete Carmichael, Chris Olave looks at his time spent playing with Derek Carr.
The playmaker made some significant progress over the 2023 season, even though there were moments when it was difficult for Derek Carr to get his rookie wide receiver Chris Olave aligned with his playmaking style. Compared to his rookie year in 2022, Olave increased all of his metrics, including the number of passes he caught at a greater rate, the number of first downs he picked up, and the number of points he scored.
How does Olave feel about the possibility of collecting passes from Carr once more in the year 2024? Carr is likely to be tied to the team (and Olave, critically) for at least the next two seasons as a result of a contract renegotiation that is scheduled to take place.
“Oh yeah, he’s a veteran, man,” Olave said in an interview with the CHGO Sports podcast. It has been ten years since he entered the league, and he has been a very strong player for the Raiders. In our first year with the Saints offense, all we need to do is build everything up. It all comes down to the chemistry.”
I should point out that this is only one component of the equation. Wide receivers are among the only positions that are as dependent on the performance of others as they are. Both a good playcaller and a talented quarterback are required for them to be in a position to win. The quarterback must be able to deliver the ball in their direction.
When it comes to this, he is thankful for the lessons that Pete Carmichael taught him during his first two years in the National Football League. However, Olave can’t help but be enthusiastic about what lies ahead. He expressed his excitement to Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report, saying, “We had really good relationships with the offensive coaches my past two years, but I wish (Carmichael) the best moving forward.” Having someone new join the team means that there will be a new offensive strategy and offense, so I’m excited to learn the playbook here and continue to move forward.
Klint Kubiak, a passing game specialist for the San Francisco 49ers, will be joining the New Orleans Saints as their new offensive coordinator after the conclusion of Super Bowl LVIII. Although he is unable to formally accept the position and sign a contract until after the championship game, the Saints have already begun looking for candidates to fill out his staff. In addition, Olave might benefit tremendously from Kubiak’s expertise working in the high-flying offense of the 49ers. Carr should be able to assist him take the next step and hopefully earn his position among the league’s greatest receivers if he is given more opportunities to practice with him and if the play caller is more imaginative.