Recently, Derek Carr signed a 4 year contract with the New Orleans Saints worth $150,000,000 with a signing bonus of $28,500,000. The Saints were searching for their next potential franchise QB, and they may have it in Derek Carr.
However, I would hesitate to call him a franchise QB. After all, he didn’t have very much success leading the Oakland and now Las Vegas Raiders for nine seasons. Throughout those nine seasons, he appeared in just one playoff game, coming in 2022, and ultimately lost.
Derek Carr came into the NFL after four successful seasons at Fresno State, appearing in 44 games with 39 starts for the Bulldogs. With the 36th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders drafted Carr, the 4th QB to be selected in that draft.
After a 2013 season that had the Raiders front office desperate for a QB, they truly believed Derek Carr could provide the spark they needed to get them back into the playoffs consistently. They realized he wouldn’t be the only way that was possible, but they certainly tried to build around him.
Carr’s Time with the Raiders
Derek Carr’s time with the Raiders would best be described as decent. His career record for them, in games he appeared in, was a measly 63-79. His completion percentage was 63.46%, throwing 217 touchdowns with 99 interceptions.
Just looking at the last stats I mentioned, it would seem that he wasn’t too terrible. But he just never truly found himself in a Raider uniform. While he is leaving the Raiders as the franchise leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and pass completions, he just was never that guy for them when it mattered most.
The root of the problem for Carr was his lack of ability to lead his team to the playoffs. As previously mentioned, he led them to one playoff appearance, which resulted in a loss.
As a four-time pro bowler, Carr does have some tools that could lead a franchise to success. The Saints definitely believed that to be true with the recent signing, which I believe was an overpayment for a middle-of-the-pack QB.
New Orleans’ Season Lookahead
After finishing in third place in the NFC South in 2022 with a 7-10 record, the Saints are looking to make some noise in what is perceived to be one of the weaker divisions in the NFL in 2023. With the retirement of Tom Brady from Tampa Bay, this division seems to be up for grabs among almost any of the teams.
In respect to the 2022 season records, the Saints draw the second easiest schedule in the NFL for the 2023 campaign. Only four playoff teams from 2022 appear on the Saints schedule, being the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Minnesota Vikings.
This could definitely be a get-right, back on track season for a franchise that has historically been solid. I could easily see the Saints making a run for the division title.
In conclusion, I still think the Saints overpaid for a QB who hasn’t completely proven himself in the NFL, and for a guy who hasn’t shown the ability to play postseason football. This is a chance for Carr to flip the script, and be very successful in a weaker division.
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