USA TODAY International Edition
Saints signing Derek Carr ripples across NFL
With a little more than one week left to go before free agency officially opens, one of the biggest names available has already settled on his destination.
Quarterback Derek Carr agreed Monday to sign with the New Orleans Saints on a four- year contract, which multiple outlets reported was worth $ 150 million with $ 100 million in guarantees.
The move provides some closure for Carr, who also met with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers in the weeks after he was released by the Las Vegas Raiders on Feb. 14, as well as the Saints, who needed resolution with Andy Dalton set to become a free agent.
In Carr, the Saints secured a fourtime Pro Bowler who is looking to shake off a down season with Raiders coach Josh McDaniels, who benched the nineyear veteran for the final two games of the regular season to get the gears moving on a change behind center.
Who were the winners and losers of the deal? Here’s our look:
Winners Saints
Coming off their first losing season since 2016 and with their No. 10 draft pick in the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans is the clear shortterm beneficiary of Carr’s ugly split with the Raiders. Steady veteran quarterbacks don’t hit the market that often, and Carr can immediately boost an offense that ranked 22nd in total points with 19.4 per game. Even if this isn’t a world- shifting addition, the Saints now stand out as having easily the best quarterback situation in an eminently winnable division. Given the overall state of the NFC, New Orleans can plant itself squarely in the conference’s second tier of contenders. And the move didn’t put the franchise in too much of an additional financial bind. ProFootballTalk reports the guarantee structure indicates a separation without a massive hit would be possible as early as 2025. Not bad for a franchise that not long ago looked to be stuck in passer purgatory.
Carr
With his Raiders tenure coming to an abrupt and unceremonious end after a down year, Carr was left in a somewhat odd spot as he searched for a landing place before the start of free agency. Still, after refusing to waive his no- trade clause before his release, Carr had time to suss out his market and find a team that truly wanted him as its starter. He will benefit from the friendly confines of a domed stadium and have better defensive backing than the Raiders could provide last season – or really any of his career, as the unit never finished better than 20th in points allowed during Carr’s run. Given the harmony Carr can expect from head coach Dennis Allen after his year of discord with McDaniels, moving from Silver and Black to black and gold sure looks like an upgrade.
Dennis Allen
Taking on the 2022 edition of the Saints looked to be an imposing task for whoever served as Sean Payton’s successor, as an inauspicious quarterback setup was one of several problem areas. Still, Allen tripped up the team last season with costly game management errors and general disorganization. After receiving a reprieve heading into the 2023 season, he should feel more comfortable with Carr – a veteran who he knows and helped decide to draft when he was coach of the Raiders until he was fired early in the 2014 season. Of course, the hot seat will warm right back up if the Saints repeat their stumbles.
Chris Olave
A lot more opportunities could be on the way for the talented second- year receiver, as Carr has shown he’s not afraid to feed his favorite pass catcher. Davante Adams was targeted at least 10 times in eight of the 15 games he played with Carr last season, while Olave reached double digits in just four of 17 contests. If the speedy threat can maintain his efficiency – his 2.42 yards per route run ranked seventh among all receivers last season, according to Pro Football Focus – Olave could enjoy a full- on star turn in 2023.
Bears
Dwindling options on the veteran quarterback market? Only good news for Ryan Poles and Co., who appear ready to sell the No. 1 draft pick to the highest bidder – and there could be plenty as several teams leave the scouting combine and head into free agency needing to solidify their plans behind center. Chicago has a host of teams inside the top 10 that might have to fight each other off for the top selection.
Losers Saints
While bringing on Carr makes New Orleans a postseason threat in 2023, there’s a clear ceiling on this outfit that falls well below the NFC’s elite. The Saints have resisted a rebuild in all forms for years, instead embracing a win- now ethos that has hindered their long- term efforts. This remains a franchise that has not drafted a quarterback in the first round since taking Archie Manning in 1971, a baffling statistic given the current landscape of the NFL and advantage conferred by having a starting passer on a cost- controlled rookie contract. Given that the Saints had issues that extended well beyond quarterback play, it’s too early to hand the division back to them, especially as the Panthers and Falcons proved capable of pushing for first place even before offseason reinforcements arrive.
NFC South
Each organization in this division entered the offseason with plausible hopes of capturing the 2023 crown – chiefly due to the others’ uncertainty behind center. With Carr taking over in New Orleans, that vision looks a lot murkier for the three others, who will almost assuredly be in the hands of incoming rookies or passers who have yet to complete a full season as a starter. If one of those players pans out, maybe someone can seize control of the NFC South for the foreseeable future.
Jets
So ... what’s the plan if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t come aboard? If the Jets do land Rodgers in a trade this month, few Jets fans will remember Carr’s choice. But a decision by Rodgers to return to Green Bay or retire would leave Robert Saleh and Co. in a lurch, as the next best free agent option for the veteran signal- caller they seek might be Jimmy Garoppolo.
Jameis Winston
The addition of Carr should signal the end of Winston’s time in New Orleans. The Saints can save $ 4.4 million with his release. Even if the 2015 No. 1 overall pick remains as a backup, the door just closed on what could be his last chance to be a starter in the NFL.
Texans and Colts
Had the Panthers pushed for Carr and landed the veteran, it would have taken a potential bidder for a top rookie quarterback out of the mix. Instead, a franchise that’s seemingly desperate for a young passer – and guided by an owner, David Tepper, who’s not afraid to pay the price to get what he wants – still is lurking as a threat to leapfrog the two AFC South teams in a trade. That means the teams sitting at No. 2 and 4 in the draft better be ready to pay up to pounce on their passer of choice – or be comfortable with multiple options should either stand pat.