According to Mike Garafolo, the New Orleans Saints are closing in on a deal with QB Derek Carr. After nine seasons with the Raiders, the four-time Pro Bowl selection is headed to New Orleans. Carr will be the first domino in the free agency market to fall in the lap of the Saints and the team is hoping to fill a hole in their roster with Jameis Winston’s future with the team being in question.
New Orleans started off the process of having interest with the veteran quarterback as the Saints were the only team to reach out to Carr before he was released by Las Vegas. From there, New Orleans continued to have interest as Carr and the Saints met for two straight days. The Saints have been the frontrunners to land Carr from the get-go and they were ultimately the team to scoop him up.
The #Saints are closing in on a deal with QB David Carr, sources tell me and @RapSheet. After nine seasons with the #Raiders, the four-time Pro Bowl selection is headed to New Orleans.
The first QB domino is about to fall and one NFC South team has its starter. pic.twitter.com/nuLSAhncLQ
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 6, 2023
Derek Carr’s Time in Las Vegas:
Carr spent nine seasons in Las Vegas before getting released by the team as the AFC West foe will turn the page on who will be their next starting quarterback. The Fresno State product was selected in the second-round by the Raiders, who were then coached by current Saints coach, Dennis Allen.
During his nine years with the team, Carr threw for 35,222 yards and 217 touchdowns–each of which are a franchise record. He was 63-79 as a starter for the franchise and he led Las Vegas to two playoff appearances (2016 and 2021). Carr was selected to four Pro Bowls during his time with the Raiders.
The main question for Carr during his NFL career is his inability to play well in the fourth quarter. The veteran quarterback has shown some flashes during his time with the Raiders with his ability to throw the ball down the field using his strong arm and he is able to put velocity on his passes when pushing the ball down the field.
What Does This Mean For the Saints Going Forward:
It means that the Saints are hoping that they found their answer at the quarterback position. With the quarterback depth chart being thin heading into the offseason as Andy Dalton will hit the free agency market on March 15th when the new league year begins. Quarterback was a huge priority for the Saints heading into the offseason as the team has missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.
New Orleans went through a quarterback carousel during the 2022 season as heading into the season Winston was the clear favorite to be the starting quarterback for the black and gold. Winston was the QB1 out of the gates, but an injury would keep him sidelined for the rest of the season. Dennis Allen turned to Dalton who had his highs and lows during the Saints season. During the down times, Saints fans were calling for Winston to step back on the field, but that would never happen as they stuck it out with Dalton the rest of the way.
With Dalton on the way out, it leaves just Winston and Taysom Hill as the only active quarterbacks on the roster. It’s an offensive that has lost it’s identity as it ranked at the bottom of the league in 2022. New Orleans has weapons on the offensive side of the ball to help Carr to have a successful tenure with the Saints.
New Orleans is hoping that bringing it Carr that the quarterback play will be able to elevate from the 2022 season. The signing of the veteran quarterback likely shines away from the Saints taking a quarterback in the draft, but the signing shouldn’t mean New Orleans still can’t find their future after Carr. Carr is 33 years old heading into the 2023 season and it would be beneficial to the Saints to still draft a young quarterback that can sit behind the veteran quarterback to develop into the future for New Orleans.
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