Raiders notebook: Devontae Booker a surprise? A chance to Zoom call with Derek Carr
Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach Kirby Wilson admits he made a mistake about Devontae Booker.
But in no way did he underestimate the fifth-year player.
“We knew all along that we got a player who complemented our room extremely well that he was a three-phase player: a runner, pass protector and a pass receiver,” Wilson said.
“We just had to figure out a way to implement him at the same time by keeping our best football player getting most of the work. It took me as a position coach a few weeks to figure it out, quite frankly, to be honest.”
Wilson said he had a conversation with Booker and told him, “I got to do a better job based on what coach (Jon) Gruden and I talked about getting you more involved in our offense.”
And so Booker’s snaps are increasing each week. In a 40-32 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Booker’s total was 15.
The first four weeks, his snap counts were eight, 11, four and six.
Booker, a standout at Grant Union High and the University of Utah, had a career-long 43-yard run that helped set up a Derek Carr 5-yard touchdown pass to Darren Waller in the second quarter.
Booker finished with seven carries for a season-high 62 yards in a backup role to Josh Jacobs.
Wilson sees more touches in Booker’s future, after the Raiders (3-2) return from the bye week.
“We think we’re really on a good pace right now to do that moving forward,” he said. “It just took a little while to figure it out as a position coach. We knew it was a work in progress and once we got him up to speed in our offense and the way we do things here that he would have an impact. I think as the season progresses, more and more his talents and his abilities will flourish behind what we feel is one of the best offensive lines in football.”
Go one-on-one with Derek Carr
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is partnering with Valley Children’s Healthcare for a promotion dubbed Bid for Kids — an online auction through the hospital.
Those who preregister by Friday will have VIP access and be allowed to bid on items a day before the auction begins Nov. 4. The auction goes until Nov. 7.
And one winner will get a chance to talk to Carr.
Here is how.
Featured items that will be up for bid include Carr-signed items as well as a 15-minute Zoom call after the season with the bid winner and four of his/her friends.
