After being released by the Las Vegas Raiders, quarterback Derek Carr received immediate interest from across the NFL with teams lining up to meet with him. As he now gets more familiar with other franchises at the NFL Combine, one club has reportedly seen enough to commit to him.
Carr is in high demand right now because of his unique status. NFL free agency doesn’t officially begin until March 15 and the trade market for quarterbacks is developing slowly. As a result, Carr is the only proven signal-caller available immediately for teams.
- Derek Carr stats (2022): 86.3 QB rating, 24-14 TD-INT, 3,522 pass yards, 60.8% completion
Related: Derek Carr generating interest from another NFC South team
The New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets have already held in-person meetings with Carr at least once. Not only is the four-time Pro Bowl selection meeting with coaches, but interested teams are also having their owners meet face-to-face with him.
While Carr reportedly prefers to play things slowly, taking time to evaluate his options even if it means delaying a decision for weeks, at least one team is ready to sign him right now.
Appearing on The Official Jets Podcast, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN disclosed that the Saints want to “get something done” with Carr and are ready to sign him as soon as he wants.
Related: NFL insider reveals cost of next Derek Carr contract
New Orleans attempted to acquire Carr before he was released by Las Vegas. The Saints agreed to a tentative trade with the Raiders, but they wanted the 31-year-old quarterback to restructure his contract. Once Carr took that off the table, the trade fell apart and he was cut.
The aggressive approach from the Saints isn’t surprising. For years, ownership and the front office have been in lockstep with keeping the contention window open. Carr would be the best quarterback since Drew Brees’ penultimate season in New Orleans, with his presence significantly improving an offense that might be without Alvin Kamara for multiple games.
Related: New York Jets made an outlandish prediction to Derek Carr
However, signing Carr immediately will be a bit challenging for New Orleans. The Saints are currently $30.9 million over the 2023 NFL salary cap, meaning they would need to restructure multiple contracts and release several players before officially signing Carr.
With the Panthers expressing interest in re-signing Sam Darnold and the Jets still prioritizing a trade for Aaron Rodgers, now would be the perfect time for the Saints to sign Carr if he is ready to pick his next team.
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