Fowler hears that New Orleans Saints are ‘ready’ to sign Derek Carr
Derek Carr has made it clear that he intends for his free agent process to be a lengthy one. For at least one of the teams he has met with, though, a quick ending would be preferred.
During an appearance on the Official Jets Podcast, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted that the Saints are “ready” to sign Carr. He added that they “want to get something done” with Carr, illustrating how well the two meetings to date between parties have gone. New Orleans has long been connected to the 31-year-old, who is the top quarterback on the market at this time.
A Saints trade for Carr reportedly came close to crossing the finish line earlier this winter, with New Orleans apparently reaching a soft agreement with the Raiders after Carr’s first visit to New Orleans. The four-time Pro Bowler forced Vegas to release him, though, not as a sign of disinterest in the Saints but rather a means of allowing himself to hit the open market and leverage the best possible contract situation for the next chapter of his career. That move opened up the number of suitors interested in the veteran signal-caller.
While New Orleans faced a difficult cap situation last offseason, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis carved out enough space to make the team a serious contender for Deshaun Watson. After the latter was ultimately traded to the Browns, though, the Saints elected to float a forgettable pairing of Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton under center in 2023.
Dalton is a pending free agent while the Saints currently have Winston under contract for one more year. Releasing the former first overall pick would yield $4.4MM in savings, a relatively modest amount but one which would nevertheless move the team closer to being able to afford the $35MM AAV Carr is believed to be seeking.
The Saints and Jets met with Carr not only last month, but during this week’s NFL Scouting Combine as well. Loomis and head coach Dennis Allen spoke positively about their sit-down. The Panthers, another team which could be a significant player in this year’s quarterback market, is also set to meet with Carr. Not surprisingly, Fowler added that the former second-rounder is likely to remain patient in the name of setting up a bidding war for his services, especially if Aaron Rodgers and/or Lamar Jackson don’t end up becoming available.
Rodgers has routinely been connected to the Jets this offseason, but the mutual interest which is said to exist between the AFC East outfit and Carr should not be discounted.
