B/R: Saints’ biggest reason for optimism in training camp is Derek Carr

There are plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about the New Orleans Saints this year: a stable of playmaking running backs; the possibility of a fully armed and operational Michael Thomas; and a very vulnerable NFC South greasing the runway for a playoff bid. We didn’t even mention the league’s most consistent defense or the promise in young receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

But Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox identified one other major factor as a feather in New Orleans’ collective cap as the Saints go into training camp — Derek Carr.

Knox broke down every team’s best reason for optimism going into the 2023 season, and the 32-year-old Carr was the pick for New Orleans. Carr might be coming off a down year with the Las Vegas Raiders, but he’s stepping into a friendly offense with plenty of help around him, to say nothing of the best defense he’s ever worked with. Here’s what Knox had to say about Carr’s outlook in camp:

Will quarterback Derek Carr be the missing piece that puts New Orleans back into playoff contention? We don’t know the answer yet, obviously, but fans should be very optimistic about his addition.

When the Saints signed Carr to a four-year, $150 million deal this offseason, they added the most proven quarterback they’ve had since Drew Brees retired in 2021.

Over the past two seasons, New Orleans has relied on a combination of Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian, Ian Book and Andy Dalton. A lack of stability and top-tier results at the quarterback position held the team back.

Carr has 142 starts on his resume, has been mostly durable throughout his career—he’s only missed six regular-season games in nine seasons—and is coming off his fourth Pro Bowl campaign.

Upon signing, Carr instantly became the top quarterback in the NFC South. He should get more out of skill-position players like Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara and Rashid Shaheed than his post-Brees predecessors did, and that may indeed be enough to launch New Orleans back to the top of the division.

Look, the Saints haven’t built a perfect team. We can be realistic about this. They have major questions to answer about their coaching staff after poor in-game decisions cost them a year ago. The depth chart isn’t as well-stocked as it could be and a couple of key injuries could derail things.

But Carr’s arrival does suggest the offense can get back on track. If his squad can put points on the board while the New Orleans defense does its job each week, nine or ten wins is possible, and that could be enough to run away with a division title. Whether this all works out in the end is something we can only wait and see about, but fans are right to speak with their chest and set higher expectations for the black and gold this season.

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