What does Jon Gruden think about Derek Carr and the 49ers? He’ll tell you that and more

New Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden talked about Derek Carr, Marshawn Lynch, the San Francisco 49ers and many other topics Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Gruden inherits a team that started 2-0 then lost four straight en route to a 6-10 record, a huge drop-off from a 12-4 season in 2016 that saw the Raiders go back to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Carr sustained a fractured transverse process injury against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 1. He just missed one game, but clearly wasn’t the same, especially after he had an MVP-type season in 2016.

Still, Gruden said Wednesday, “I thought Derek did some good things, honestly, He’s got tremendous arm talent. He got hurt … and I think that impacted the way he practiced. I think it impacted the way he played. I’ll say this: He’s a lot of fun to be around. … He’s got the right stuff. He’s going to be a great leader for us.”

Gruden on other topics:

Amari Cooper – “We think Cooper is going to be a great player. He had a lot of injuries last year and that impacted him. He’ll be the focal point of our pass offense. He’s got tremendous quickness and is a gamer. He’ll be the headliner in our offense.”

Marshawn Lynch – “There’s no question he’s still a beast. He’s hard to bring down. One of the reasons why I’m excited to be with the Raiders is to join forces with Lynch. I’m counting on him. I’m counting on him being part of the football team.”

Bruce Irvin – “I like Bruce Irvin. He played through a back problem earlier in the season. He’s still a very good pass rusher. He plays with good effort. We just need to get him some help so he can do the things he can do best often.”

Second-year players – Defensive backs Gareon Conley and Obi Melifonwu didn’t play much as rookies last season, but Gruden said the Raiders are counting on both in 2018.

Playing the 49ers and meeting up with young coach Kyle Shanahan – “I’m looking forward to matching up with everybody and I got a lot of respect for Kyle and the way he’s gone about his career.”

This story was originally published February 28, 2018 at 1:26 PM with the headline "What does Jon Gruden think about Derek Carr and the 49ers? He’ll tell you that and more."