Could Derek Carr and the Saints be a perfect Combo?
Veteran quarterback Derek Carr is entering his 10th NFL season with a brand new team for the first time – The New Orleans Saints. Carr has had a pretty stable NFL career so far; he was a solid QB for the Las Vegas Raiders for the first 9 years,, where he broke countless team records and brought them to the playoffs in 2016 for the first time since 2002.
After a messy end with the Raiders organization, Carr was ultimately cut (because of his no-trade clause) and signed with the Saints shortly after that. He is reunited with his first-ever NFL Coach, Dennis Allen, the head coach who originally drafted Carr with the Raiders in 2014.
As we look back at Derek’s time with the team, it’s clear that he was really the only consistent piece for that organization for quite some time. With his 9 seasons there, Carr had to go through four head coaching and front office changes. Incredibly, each coach who came in to take over always wanted to keep Carr as their franchise QB.
It proves his leadership, toughness, and ability to fight through hardship. In 2021 Raiders head coach, Jon Gruden was fired for his racist emails that surfaced, former first-round WR Henry Ruggs was released from the team after a devastating crash that left an innocent woman and her dog deceased, and former first-round CB Damon Arnette was released after a video surfaced of him with a gun.
Derek Carr was the guy who had to face the media and answer tough questions on all of these items – Not to mention he took the Raiders to another playoff berth where they just fell short of the Cincinnati Bengals that year.
That is incredible leadership in its own right.
But where does that leave us now when he is with a new team, another new offense, and a city to call his own?
Derek Carr to Alvin Kamara. Wheel route. TD #saints ( video by Edwin Goode) pic.twitter.com/bcRNDIkYdT
— Sean FazendeFOX8 (@SeanFazendeFOX8) August 18, 2023
Carr finished 2022 with 3522 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, to 14 interceptions through only 14 games (he was benched for backup Jarret Stidham in the final three games). He tied his career high in interceptions at 14 last year.
But, to be fair, this was his first season in a brand-new offensive system that many consider challenging to learn. He only had a little time to grow into the offense, with only 1 season to prove what he could do. Not to mention, Carr had less control at the line of scrimmage than he had in years past.
“When you’re a veteran quarterback… they want some control at the line of scrimmage,” Carr continued. “They want to be able to utilize their superpower… [Derek] wants to get to the line, decipher what the defense is doing, get into the appropriate play, and that skill wasn’t utilized in Las Vegas under Josh McDaniels, and that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with that. Derek and Josh [McDaniels] had a good conversation today; they parted ways. Josh is going to do his thing. He’ll find a new quarterback that fits his system, and Derek will find a system that fits his style.” – David Carr, NFL Total Access (Derek’s older brother)
When Derek Carr officially signed with the New Orleans Saints, this would be a perfect fit for him and for this entire team to take the next step. For a couple of reasons that I will list below:
- Familiarity is a big thing for Derek Carr, and he gets just that by reuniting with the head coach who drafted him. Carr had to go through 4 coaching changes with the Raiders in a short time; each off-season was focused on whether the new coach would keep or move on from Carr. With the Saints, he not only will be the man there, but they wanted him to be, and he is backed by the entire organization. This will do wonders for Carr’s on-field confidence and his ability to make things happen as well.
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New Orleans also has TONS of talent on the offensive side of the ball, where he can play his best game. He doesn’t need to rely on just one guy or a couple; he has Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and more. Not to mention, the Saints have a decent offensive line that will help everyone. I am really excited to see what Derek Carr can do with Chris Olave. Carr has always had a cannon of an arm (Davante and he showed this numerous times last season), and Olave runs a 4.39 40-yard dash time; they will connect on some game-changing plays.
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The Saints have a respectable and strong defense. Something Carr has never had during his tenure with the Raiders is a formidable defense. He had always had to carry games or keep up with the opposing team’s scores. It was always difficult to be down late in games because the defense couldn’t stop much. For points allowed by defense, the Raiders had not ranked better than 20th in the league during Carr’s time there. That said, he comes to a Saints team with a top-10 defense in points allowed for the last three seasons. This changes things dramatically for him as a play-caller which can only help his reputation and performance.
After looking even at only these three reasons, the stars have aligned for what looks like a perfect opportunity for QB Derek Carr. He is primed to have a massive year with a new organization and potentially bring them to the playoffs (in one of the NFL’s most manageable divisions). Carr is embracing his new city and the challenges that come with that; one thing for sure is that he will try his best to win for this team. He has always been determined and is constantly upbeat, even in the worst seasons. I’m excited to see what brings the Saints in 2023; they can make a difference in the NFC with Carr leading.
