When David Carr came out of Fresno State, I swore he had star passer written all over him. He had the big arm, the quick release, the athletic ability. All of it.
What he didn't have was the drive. That's why he's now officially a backup in the NFL, signing a one-year deal with the New York Giants.
When Carr was with the Houston Texans, taken first overall in 2002, he never put in the work needed to be a great passer. It didn't help that he played behind a bad line with mostly bad skill people -- aside from Andre Johnson. Carr took a beating, but he didn't help his cause by leaving the facility after each day's practice. He didn't stick around. He wasn't one of the guys.
Some Texans players say the team babied him, which didn't help.
Last season he signed a contract with the Panthers after the Texans let him go. And when Jake Delhomme went down, Carr had a chance to prove the Texans years were way in the past. They weren't. He struggled. He also let his poor play get to him. He showed up to Carolina energetic about playing football again, but after some struggles he wasn't the same player, according to a team source.
He went into a shell. And he went to the bench.
Now he's nothing but a backup. He is no threat to take Eli Manning's job. But, hey, a guy has to work.
Somehow I get the idea Carr might be okay with just being a backup. The pressure is off. He doesn't have to perform. He's not expected to be great.
Carr is now reunited with Giants quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer, who was his offensive coordiantor in Houston. Palmer always believed in Carr. He told me many times with the right people around him he could succeed.
I believed him, too. Why? I thought it as well.
Now it appears I was wrong. Unless Carr can show us all that he can still play, he's on his way to being a career backup. Maybe that's all he wants.
