Quarterback Derek Carr concluded a second day meeting at the New Orleans Saints’ headquarters on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
Carr remains under contract with Las Vegas, but the Raiders benched Carr toward the end of the 2022 regular season and are widely expected to move on from the veteran by either trade or release.
Carr holds a full no-trade clause and said he will not extend the Feb. 15 deadline for when his scheduled $40.4 million in guaranteed money kicks in. If the Raiders do not find a trade partner, they’re expected to release him before the deadline.
New Orleans is the first team Carr has met with, and there’s a strong connection between Carr and Saints head coach Dennis Allen. Carr was a second-round draft pick in 2014 when Allen coached the then-Oakland Raiders. Allen made Carr the starting quarterback but was fired after an 0-4 start.
That was the start of a fruitful run for Carr with the Raiders. He made four Pro Bowls, most recently in 2022, and set major franchise passing records. But the team only made the playoffs twice in Carr’s nine-year stay and never won a playoff game.
The Saints are coming off a 7-10 season in their first year under Allen, who succeeded Sean Payton as coach. Aging veteran Andy Dalton spent most of the season as the starting quarterback after an injury-prone Jameis Winston was relegated to the backup.
Carr’s wife, Heather, was with him on the trip, according to Fox 8. The Saints’ contingent included Allen and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, according to NewOrleansFootball.com.
If the Saints don’t acquire Carr via trade, they could still sign him as a free agent. However, Carr would also then be free to sign with any team.
–Field Level Media