Category: Derek Carr

Opinion: Derek Carr’s latest comments come off arrogant and delusional

Derek Carr essentially says to look at the tape for why he wouldn’t take a pay cut. It makes you wonder what tape is he talking about:

Derek Carr recently told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell wasn’t willing to play ball with the New Orleans Saints by taking a pay cut, and that is fine. Players are owed the guaranteed money in their contracts. It’s his rationale that is the issue.

Carr said he doesn’t feel he should take a pay cut, “Especially with what I put on tape,” referring to his level of play this year and last.

That statement comes off extremely full of himself and delusional. This isn’t to call him a terrible quarterback, but that’s a statement that should be reserved for a few elite players at a position. He’s not one of them.

Spencer Rattler had his struggles, but the season didn’t start going down when the rookie backup became the starter. Carr started in the first three games of the seven-game losing streak. Three of his wins came against teams picking top-10 in this year’s NFL draft, and one of them (the Carolina Panthers) beat him in a rematch.

The offense stagnated with Carr conducting them. You saw times where he would begin to panic after the pressure got there early in the game. You saw struggles with ball placement. And these issues go back to last year.

When Carr essentially tells you to check his tape, you’d think he was in the MVP race. He did some good things in Klint Kubiak’s system, but those faults are present and prominent as well. The first two weeks were best when he just needed to be an efficient complement to a dominant running attack. He only completed 30 passes in those first two games, both wins, but the Saints went 1-3 when he was asked to attempt 30 or more passes this season (not counting a primetime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs where he threw 28 times).

Undeniable isn’t an accurate description of Carr, but the veteran is acting as if a pay cut is beneath him. He could’ve made his point without putting a target on his back, but his poor choice of words paints a less-than-flattering picture of him.

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Derek Carr says he wouldn’t take a pay cut, ‘Especially with what I put on tape’

Derek Carr wants to do what he can to help the Saints in 2025, but he says he won’t take a pay cut: ‘Especially with what I put on tape’

Few teams have created as big a mess of the salary cap for themselves as the New Orleans Saints. General manager Mickey Loomis spearheaded a push to build around veteran quarterback Derek Carr and former head coach Dennis Allen a couple of offseasons ago that resulted in Carr signing a four-year, $150 million deal — big money for a quarterback who had never won a playoff game.

And now the Saints are really paying for it. Carr has gone 14-13 as a starter through two years while missing a lot of time with injuries. He’s been seen barking at his coaches and younger teammates during games while averaging just 223.1 passing yards per game since he arrived in New Orleans, 3rd-lowest among 19 different quarterbacks with at least 800 pass attempts in that span (Carr has 827).

Now his salary cap hit is cruising past $51.4 million in 2025. $30 million of that is tied up in Carr’s salary, but he’s made it clear he won’t give it up.

“I wouldn’t take a pay cut,” Carr told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. “Yeah, I wouldn’t do that. Especially with what I put on tape. Would I restructure? Absolutely. I’ll always help the team that way. But there’s some things that you put out there that you earned. Even in some cases it could be even worse, but I felt confident when I signed it that this would give the team the best flexibility at the time.”

Carr’s agent Timothy Younger took Loomis to the cleaners on that contract — he made sure to negotiate a no-trade clause just like Carr got from the  Las Vegas Raiders, which makes it more difficult for New Orleans to get out of it. While the Saints have only paid $19.8 million against the salary cap over the last two years due to some crafty accounting, the team is on the hook for cap hits of $51.4 million in 2025 and $61.4 million in 2026, before his deal expires in 2027, leaving behind at least $17.2 million of dead money.

And another restructure like Carr alluded to wouldn’t help the team in a meaningful sense. That’s just kicking the can down the road even further. Carr’s cap hit would drop to as low as $20.4 million for 2025, but the $30.9 million difference would be paid out over 2026 and 2027. He gets his money now rather than later, and while it would help the Saints reach cap compliance in 2025 they’d still have to work around it in the next year or two. It’s disingenuous for him or any other player in his position to suggest otherwise.

So the Saints are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Carr will very likely be their quarterback again in 2025, but if he doesn’t pick up his play and lead them to success in the fall, it’ll be even more urgent to search for an exit ramp. Unfortunately, the way Loomis structured this contract and the decision to restructure it once already really limits their options, and doing so again this offseason would almost insure Carr sees it through all four years with a heavy lump of dead money left behind once he’s off the team in 2027.

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Saints make their decision on Week 18’s starting QB

The Saints have made their decision on Week 18’s starting QB. The next question is whether we’ve seen the last of Derek Carr in New Orleans:

The New Orleans Saints will start Spencer Rattler, not Derek Carr, in Week 18’s regular season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to the quarterback’s injury, interim head coach Darren Rizzi announced Friday. Carr attempted a game simulation at practice this week but wasn’t able to functionally grip the football after fracturing his left hand several weeks ago.

And Rizzi pointed out that this is a big loss for the team when asked how significant Carr’s loss was for the team: “It’s a huge impact. The obvious answer is we haven’t a game he hasn’t started. We were 5-5 with him as our starting quarterback and we haven’t won a game without him as our starting quarterback. So the results there are pretty telling and tangible.”

The next question will be whether Carr returns to the team in 2025. The Saints already lead the league in dead money taken up by players no longer on the team next season, and cutting Carr would double it. He controls his own destiny to an extent thanks to the no-trade clause his agent negotiated into his contract. Whether or not the Saints will keep Carr is sure to be a big topic of discussion this offseason and it may impact their interviews with head coach candidates in the weeks ahead.

Carr hasn’t delivered on the expectations that general manager Mickey Loomis and ex-head coach Dennis Allen set when they signed him to a four-year, $150 million contract two years ago. He’s gone 14-13 as a starter and missed a lot of time with injuries. A new head coach may want to go in a new direction at quarterback — justifiably. Either way, we’ve seen the last of Carr in the 2024 season. We’ll just have to wait and find out whether he’ll return for 2025.

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Derek Carr has taken a big step forward in his recovery process

Two weeks after fracturing his hand, Derek Carr was seen without a brace. What does this mean for the rest of the New Orleans Saints’ season?

Derek Carr has officially been ruled out of the New Orleans Saints matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Not being given the opportunity to get revenge on his former team was probably difficult for the quarterback.

Carr is still pushing to get back on the field. If you’re looking for optimism that he’ll achieve his goal, Carr was seen Friday without a brace on his hand.

Obviously, this development won’t allow him to play this Sunday, but it is a sign of progress. Darren Rizzi has maintained it’s all about functionality and not pain tolerance. Going from being in a brace to without a brace would suggest his fractured hand is beginning to heal to the point where Carr can use it.

Carr can now begin to test out his mobility and grip strength. He now has about a week to test these aspects out. If Carr entered next week in a brace, there would have been a significantly less chance he’d get enough practice time to play in the season finale.

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Derek Carr named Week 17 NFLPA Community MVP

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr was named Week 17 NFLPA Community MVP for his charitable efforts:

Here’s some good work from Derek Carr — the New Orleans Saints quarterback was recognized as the NFLPA’s Week 17 Community MVP for his charitable efforts.

In the spirit of the season, Carr and his wife Heather gifted nine local families with Christmas gifts and $5,000 each at a special holiday luncheon. It’s good to see them giving back to the community and working to make a positive impact.

Here’s more from the NFLPA on the award:

In recognition, each week during the regular season, the NFLPA #CommunityMVP program honors one player who has made a positive impact in his hometown or team city.

For being named Community MVP, the NFLPA will make a $10,000 donation to the player’s foundation or charity of choice so that they can continue to make a difference.

Previous weekly winners have included Darius Slayton (New York Giants), Camryn Bynum (Minnesota Vikings), and Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears), who you can read more about here.

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It doesn’t sound like the Saints are moving on from Derek Carr in 2025

It doesn’t sound like the Saints are moving on from Derek Carr in 2025. ESPN reports the team’s salary cap constraints won’t allow it:

Dennis Allen won’t be returning to the New Orleans Saints in 2025, but the quarterback he recruited appears to be here to stay. ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared some insight on what’s in the plans for the black and gold, and it doesn’t sound like Derek Carr will be leaving the team after a couple of rough seasons.

Derek Carr’s contract and this spring’s planned restructure, combined with the Saints’ tight salary cap situation, mean there may not be much appetite in letting him go.

“Because this team is so strapped against the cap, Derek Carr is in line to be back next year. They don’t have a lot of flexibility, he makes the most sense, and it certainly looks like he could be back next season even though he is inactive tonight,” Schefter said.

Carr missed Monday night’s game with the Green Bay Packers after fracturing a bone in his non-throwing hand diving for a first down a few weeks back, and it’s unlikely he’ll be able to suit up again in 2024. But it isn’t expected to linger into 2025, and based off what he’s heard Schefter expects Carr to remain under center in New Orleans.

That wouldn’t be a popular move for a Saints fanbase that has pretty publicly expressed frustration with Carr’s play; he made some strides with Klint Kubiak replacing Pete Carmichael at offensive coordinator, averaging the second-best touchdown rate and passer rating of his career. But he’s clocked just 214.5 passing yards per game, the second-lowest pace of his career. They haven’t won many games because of him.

And Schefter has a point about the cap implications of offloading Carr’s contract. Odds are he won’t agree to waive his no-trade clause, and cutting him would double the dead money the Saints already have on the books for 2025 — and that $48.4 million figure for Marshon Lattimore, Michael Thomas, and Jameis Winston already leads the league. It would be incredibly difficult to make competitive offers in free agency with $100 million tied up in money for players not on the team.

So Carr will likely be back in 2025. So will Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. But who would a new head coach be starting? Carr would be a highly-paid backup, and agreeing to start him because of that may be a stipulation for a new coach. That could turn off some attractive coaching candidates, but crazier things have happened in the NFL. Stay tuned to see how this all unfolds.

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Derek Carr has millions of motivations to return to the field

Between guarantees for injury written into his contract and a chance at revenge against his old team, Derek Carr has millions of motivations to return to the field:

Spencer Rattler will start against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football, but the New Orleans Saints have continued to keep the door open for Derek Carr to return at some point. With the season and hopes of a playoff berth almost over, why would Carr return to the field?

Outside of simply being a competitor, Carr has simple motivation to play again this season. Next week, New Orleans plays the Las Vegas Raiders. Getting a chance to beat his former team is an opportunity he’s been waiting for since leaving the Raiders.

The organization’s decision to move on from him infamously made Carr’s wife cry. If there is any chance to play, Carr likely won’t give up hope until that game has passed.

That’s why Carr could want to keep the door open, but what about the Saints side? Technically, the Saints still have a shot at making the playoffs. It’s a slim shot and could be over this week, but keeping the door open displays a desire for competitiveness isn’t gone. Nobody wants to go in the tank, at least not inside the building.

Carr’s injury guarantees may be a factor, too. If he plays again this season and suffers another injury, serious enough that he couldn’t pass a physical in March, the Saints would be on the hook for another $30 million that otherwise wouldn’t cash out unless they choose to pay it.

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Saints must find out who Spencer Rattler is before 2024 ends

Opinion: The Saints must stick with Spencer Rattler through the rest of the season, unless there is injury, to get a full evaluation of the rookie

Spencer Rattler should be given the opportunity to audition to be the New Orleans Saints quarterback in 2025 over the next three weeks.

A report came out Tuesday morning saying Derek Carr returning to the lineup was unlikely. With the Saints all but out of the playoff race, Carr playing in 2024 provided more risk than reward. Even if he could go, it is smart to hold him out.

This gives you a chance to evaluate Rattler for the future. This means letting him play the entirety of the season unless injury happens. Darren Rizzi switched from Haener to Rattler after just a half of football.

The Saints may be too far back in the draft to get one of the top quarterbacks this season. The future head coach may decide to see what they have in the young quarterback through next season.

Is he the quarterback who held the ball too long in his first few starts and didn’t handle pressure well? Is he the player who stepped up and delivered a bomb to Marquez Valdes-Scantling while being hit? Rattler looked like a different player than we saw in his first stint.

The only way to get that true evaluation is to see the good bad and ugly of Rattler. No more hot potato. Stick with Rattler to close the season.

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Report: Derek Carr ‘very unlikely’ to return from hand injury this season

Report: Derek Carr is ‘very unlikely’ to return from hand injury in time to play again this season

Derek Carr didn’t receive good news on his fractured hand in a recent checkup. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the New Orleans Saints quarterback is “at least a few weeks away from being able to withstand contact” after breaking his non-throwing hand in two places.

With just three weeks left in the Saints’ 2024 season, there’s a strong possibility that Carr won’t be able to get the green light to return in time to play again this year. After traveling to face the Green Bay Packers (Dec. 23) next week, the Saints will return home for a matchup with Carr’s old Las Vegas Raiders (Dec. 29) team before closing out their season on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Jan. 5).

That sentiment was echoed by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, who added that while “there was no surgery, it’s not a minor injury.” Carr’s ability to grip a football and execute his responsibilities from one snap to the next is in question, and it’s too risky to put him on the field until he’s healed up.

So expect rookie backup Spencer Rattler to start next Monday night against the Packers. Rattler outplayed Jake Haener (who got the initial start) on Sunday and should get the nod this week.

As for Carr; we may have already seen him throw a pass in a Saints uniform for the last time. His 2025 salary cap hit doesn’t match his production and the Saints have a few options worth exploring if their next head coach doesn’t intend to build around him. We’ll just have to wait and see how things develop in the weeks and months ahead.

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Darren Rizzi unsure which QB Saints will start vs. Packers

Darren Rizzi is unsure which quarterback the Saints will start against the Packers next week. It might be Spencer Rattler, but it could be Derek Carr:

The New Orleans Saints could have a couple of options for next week’s starting quarterback against the Green Bay Packers, and head coach Darren Rizzi is not yet sure which one will actually get the nod on Monday night. It might be Spencer Rattler, and Rizzi repeatedly said he isn’t down on Jake Haener after benching him, but it could be Derek Carr.

When speaking to the media after the game, Rizzi was asked about the starting job for next week’s game. This is how he responded.

“I don’t know, we’ve got the extra day. Let’s see where Derek is,” Rizzi began. “Hopefully an extra day helps his hand maybe heal a little more and we’ll kind of see if he’s got function and that kind of stuff. We’ll reevaluate that. Certainly Spencer Rattler just came off a really good second half so we’ll take that into account. I don’t want to make any proclamations yet.”

It certainly seems as if a healthy Carr will still be starter moving forward, but Rattler may have moved ahead of Haener once again if the veteran can’t go.

Haener’s first career start was a nightmare as he went 4-for-10 for 49 yards and an interception in the first half. Rizzi was still complimentary of the young passer, but Rattler’s efforts in the second half did the speaking for him.

The rookie went 10-of-21 for 135 yards and a touchdown. He almost led the team into a comeback when, but they couldn’t convert a two-point try at the end. It’s not that Rattler is playing like a Hall of Fame quarterback, but it is clear who has the most potential of the young passers.

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