Category: Derek Carr

Saints aren’t eager to explain in-game squabble between Derek Carr, Erik McCoy

The Saints are brushing off a squabble between Derek Carr and Erik McCoy. Dennis Allen says he ‘wouldn’t read too much into’ the heated altercation:

A lot happened in the New Orleans Saints’ win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday — both good and bad. But nothing caught fans’ attention more than the late-game altercation between quarterback Derek Carr and center Erik McCoy.

Carr picked himself up off the ground in a fury after being sacked by Panthers linebacker Frankie Luvu, who beat right guard Cesar Ruiz to bowl Carr over as he dropped back to pass. Carr took aim at McCoy after the play, who responded in kind, and the pair had to be separated. Left guard James Hurst walled off McCoy as they returned to the sideline where backup quarterback Jameis Winston corralled Carr.

Other veterans on the team like running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. bridged the gap, and the pair eventually hashed things out together on the bench. The offense rallied to close out a 28-6 win. But there were few people in the locker room willing to discuss the incident after the game, including head coach Dennis Allen.

“These kinds of things happen on the field. I’m glad that both of them had the balls to stand up and fight,” Allen said after the game. “Guys, they get pissed. Sometimes things get emotional. I wouldn’t read too much into it. We addressed it. Let’s move on.”

Dustups do happen in pro football, but it’s unusual to see a franchise quarterback going back and forth like this with his center. The two players who touch the football on every single play should be in sync, and they clearly weren’t. Whether Carr misidentified the middle linebacker to set protection before the snap or McCoy failed to help Ruiz pick up the blitz is unclear, and they’re all more interested in moving forward than dwelling on it.

Both McCoy and Carr brushed over the issue after the game, reiterating Allen’s point that these things happen, they’re good now, and there are no divisions splitting the locker room apart (WWL Radio’s Jeff Nowak shared transcripts from their postgame media availability here if you’d like to read full comments). So we aren’t likely to get any real resolution on the record any time soon.

Still: it’s near-impossible to watch this team each week, pay attention when guys are speaking on camera and into microphones, and not come away feeling that something isn’t right. Players and coaches and front office executives are not in lockstep and that discord is reflected in their losing record. Hopefully they can mend fences, build on this win, and work towards a run at the NFC South crown. There’s too much invested in these players and this coaching staff to settle for less.

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Saints use NFL’s third quarterback loophole for the first time in 2023

The Saints are taking advantage of the NFL’s third quarterback loophole for the first time in 2023. Jake Haener is available to play in a pinch:

It’s taken longer than maybe expected, but the New Orleans Saints are taking advantage of the NFL’s third quarterback loophole for the first time in 2023. Jake Haener is available to play in a pinch. He was listed with the emergency quarterback designation for Sunday’s game with the Carolina Panthers.

But it’ll have to be an emergency. Haener will be wearing his uniform and have his helmet in case he’s needed, unlike the other inactive players this week, but he can only get into the game if both Derek Carr and Jameis Winston are unable to play due to injuries. Carr is returning from a concussion with an injured rib and banged-up throwing shoulder. He’s had to exit three games this year with injuries and in each case Winston has has gotten the nod to lead the huddle.

And, just in case you missed it, Haener switched from his No. 14 jersey to the No. 3 worn after the preseason once Wil Lutz was traded to the Denver Broncos. The rookie fourth-round draft pick out of Fresno State has not appeared in a game for the Saints this season; in preseason, he completed 38 of 72 passes for 395 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions, taking two sacks.

So why now? Taysom Hill is inactive after suffering injuries to his foot and non-throwing hand a week ago, which means the Saints are down to just three quarterbacks, not four — satisfying the letter of the rule. It’s unlikely Haener will hit the field on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome, but he’ll be ready if the Saints need to call his number.

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Derek Carr clears concussion protocol, will start vs. Panthers

Derek Carr has cleared concussion protocol, per multiple reports, and will start for the Saints on Sunday against the Panthers:

He’s still listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with the Carolina Panthers, but New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has cleared concussion protocol and is expected to start against Carolina. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill first reported news of Carr passing protocol, which was confirmed by ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.

Carr is also dealing with an injured rib and right shoulder — having suffered an AC joint sprain earlier this year — but by all accounts the Saints plan on having him out there. This comes in the wake of his second concussion in three weeks.

Should Carr be playing, even if doctors (including an independent specialist) have given him the green light? That’s debatable. These brain injuries can’t be underestimated and suffering two of them so close together could have long-term impacts. The Saints re-signed Jameis Winston and drafted Jake Haener for situations like this, and they should be able to take care of business against the one-win Panthers with a backup quarterback. But Carr is determined to play and the Saints aren’t going to stop him.

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Saints shouldn’t rule out an early-round quarterback because of Derek Carr

The Saints shouldn’t rule out an early-round quarterback because of Derek Carr. His injuries, age, and performance make it a priority:

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has left many fans frustrated with his play on the field. That is the reason many fans want the Saints to draft a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft. A recent Pro Football Focus mock draft connected the Saints to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. It doesn’t seem the coaches are as frustrated. Still, the front office should feel compelled to draft a quarterback early because of Carr’s mounting injuries.

This year, Carr has suffered two concussions, injured his shoulder on two separate occasions and added a rib injury to the list this past weekend. Carr hasn’t been injured this often before. Carr is 32 and will turn 33 in March. This could be an aberration, but it very well could be a sign of things to come.

Injuries aside, 33 years old is not young in the NFL, even if Mickey Loomis would like to say it is. The pairing of Derek Carr and Dennis Allen may still be present in 2024, but the Saints should not rule out drafting a quarterback early. Age and health have to be factors just like player performance. A rookie quarterback can sit for a season and learn the game, but having the young franchise quarterback in the building will make a transition easier to life after Carr.

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Dennis Allen shares injury update on Saints quarterback Derek Carr

Dennis Allen shared an injury update on Saints quarterback Derek Carr, saying Jameis Winston will start in Week 14 if Carr can’t play:

What’s the latest on Derek Carr? The New Orleans Saints quarterback was rocked on a big hit from his former teammate Bruce Irvin during Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions, exiting the game with what was described as back and shoulder injuries, plus a concussion.

Saints coach Dennis Allen updated Carr’s status on Monday after the training staff had time to fully evaluate him. Allen said that while Carr’s shoulder checked out (he had previously suffered an AC joint sprain this season), his back issue was really more of a rib injury, and Carr will be entering concussion protocol for the second time in less than a month.

“We’ll evaluate him as we go throughout the week to see what his availability will be,” for Sunday’s game with the Carolina Panthers, Allen said.

It sounds like a long shot for Carr to recover from these injuries in time for kickoff. He’s been knocked out of three different games this season and brain injuries can’t be overlooked, especially a series of them happening so close together like this. So if Carr can’t suit up, it’ll be Jameis Winston in the starting lineup, not Taysom Hill or Jake Haener.

Allen explained: “There’s a reason (Winston is) here as our backup and if Derek is not able to go, the plan right now would be Jameis would be in there and we’d put a plan together that gives him an opportunity to have success.”

Winston has gone 6-4 as the Saints’ starting quarterback across 10 games from 2021 to 2022, and he’s one of the better-qualified backups around the league. But his limitations on Sunday in relief of Carr were clear; he threw a dangerous pass that was tipped by the defense and saved by Chris Olave, and all three of his final pass attempts fell incomplete during the Saints’ last possession. As Allen said, they had their reasons for bringing him back as Carr’s backup, but there are reasons they went looking for a new starter, too. To this point Carr hasn’t proven he was the right choice.

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Derek Carr entered concussion protocol, dealing with back and shoulder injuries

Derek Carr entered concussion protocol, dealing with back and shoulder injuries

Derek Carr was banged up on Sunday. The New Orleans Saints quarterback took a big hit from Detroit Lions linebacker Bruce Irvin that drew a foul, but the damage was done. After receiving assistant from the Saints medical staff, Carr left the field and didn’t return.

Afterwards head coach Dennis Allen confirmed what the team had previously announced: Carr entered concussion protocol and underwent evaluation for injuries to his shoulder and back. It’s the second time this season Carr has gone into league concussion protocol, and this is the third time he’s dealt with a shoulder injury. Allen declined to specify whether that’s the same AC joint sprain Carr suffered earlier this year and aggravated a few weeks ago.

Allen also said they wouldn’t consider shutting Carr down after this recurring shoulder injury, as was the case last season when Jameis Winston suffered damage to several vertebrae in his lower back. When pressed on the topic Allen only responded that it’s a different situation.

The Saints are playing at home the next two weeks against the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants, so they won’t have to ask Carr to fly cross-country with his injuries. But the question remains whether he’ll be able to return to the starting lineup in time for next Sunday’s game with Carolina. If he can’t go, Winston is likely getting the starting nod with Taysom Hill playing his usual role and Jake Haener backing him up, but we’ll have to wait and see for sure.

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Derek Carr injured on a big hit by Lions pass rusher Bruce Irvin

Derek Carr was injured on a big hit by Lions pass rusher Bruce Irvin, with Jameis Winston entering to replace him:

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr was rocked on a big hit from Detroit Lions defender Bruce Irvin, and he had to leave the game with assistance from the training staff. Irvin was fouled for roughing the passer on the play. A trainer’s cart initially came out to ferry Carr to the locker room but he waved it off to leave under his own power.

It’s the third time this year Carr has left the game with an injury; he was knocked out of losses to the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings with injuries to his throwing shoulder and a concussion. The nature of this injury and whether he’ll be able to return late in the fourth quarter is unclear. Jameis Winston is filling in for him. Stay tuned.

Update: The Saints announced that Carr was doubtful to return after entering concussion protocol and receiving treatment for back and shoulder injuries.

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3 of the NFL’s active pick-6 leaders have started at QB for Dennis Allen

Dennis Allen might have a type. Three of the NFL’s top-five leaders in interceptions returned for touchdowns have started for him at quarterback:

Does Dennis Allen have a type? Of the top five active quarterbacks in career pick-sixes (interceptions returned for touchdowns), three of them have started games for the New Orleans Saints at quarterback since Allen took over as head coach.

As noted by Nola.com’s Jeff Duncan, Andy Dalton ranks second among active passers with 18 pick-sixes in 169 games. Derek Carr is right behind him with 16 of them in 153 games. Jameis Winston rounds out the top-five with a dozen in 90 games.

Of course they aren’t alone; Kirk Cousins is also in the mix (14 in 150 games) and Matthew Stafford leads everyone with 30 of them in 201 games.

But it’s concerning that so many Saints quarterbacks rank high in this stat since Allen was promoted to head coach. He made the decision to sign Dalton in free agency last year and followed up by starting him for most of the season after Jameis Winston was injured and benched. It was Allen’s choice to recruit Carr to New Orleans this offseason, too.

Defenders typically don’t return an interception all the way to the end zone for a score, so this is more a ball security problem than anything. Carr has a career interceptions rate of 2%, but he’s whittled it down to 1.3% with the Saints this season. That doesn’t excuse his horrible ball placement on an interception against the Atlanta Falcons last week that was returned for a win-sealing touchdown. But we’ve got to acknowledge how critical his turnovers have been when they have occurred. Carr has thrown two pick-sixes this season against Atlanta and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

How does that compare to Dalton and Winston? Last year, Dalton threw an interception on 2.4% of his passes, which is near his career average (2.6%). And like Carr, his mistakes happened at critical times — just look at his two pick-sixes thrown against the Arizona Cardinals in the last two minutes before halftime.

As for Winston: his issues protecting the ball are well-documented, and his performance with the Saints the last two years speaks for itself. His career interceptions rate is 3.4% and he’s been picked off on 4.3% and a staggering 7.1% of his passes in the years since Sean Payton left the team. He’s only attempted 42 throws this year but he’s thrown more interceptions (3) than touchdowns (2) when asked to step in for Carr. He threw a pick-six against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, too.

Allen’s choices of quarterbacks haven’t exactly meshed with the philosophy of a head coach who wants to run a conservative, run-first offense that can protect the ball and settle for field goals while trusting its defense to win games. Whether they’re not clutch or just unlucky, the Saints quarterbacks — especially Carr, the current unquestioned starter — must play better.

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How many years are the Saints stuck with Derek Carr’s contract?

How many years are the Saints stuck with Derek Carr’s contract? The NFL’s worst red zone quarterback hasn’t met expectations, but he may not be going away any time soon:

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has not met expectations through his first 11 starts with his new team, running an inefficient offense and deflecting responsibility to his coaches and teammates when pressed about it by the media. He’s hardly been the franchise savior Dennis Allen and Mickey Loomis trumpeted him as.

What are his salary cap hits looking like? Everyone knows by now that a four-year, $150 million contract isn’t exactly what it seems. There are so  many factors at play: funny money, void years, prorated signing bonuses, roster bonuses that can restructrured, guarantee triggers and incentives (both likely and unlikely to be earned, with different cap implications). It’s tough to make heads or tails of it. With that in mind, here are Carr’s annual cap hits as his contract stands:

  • 2024: $35.7 million
  • 2025: $45.7 million
  • 2026: $55.7 million
  • 2027: $5.7 million (void)

So what are the Saints’ options? Releasing Carr outright in 2024 would cost an additional $17.1 million, totaling $52.8 million in dead money. That’s about 23.5% of this year’s salary cap, so we can rule that out. Carr has a no-trade clause, and there’s no reason (from his perspective) to waive it and go one-and-done in New Orleans. Not when his $30 million base salary is guaranteed anyway. He has all the leverage here after the Saints gave it to him in this contract.

What about a post-June 1 release? That would actually break even and not cost the Saints any more salary cap resources … on June 2. The Saints would still be paying $35.7 million for having Carr on the books, but they wouldn’t add anything to it. The problem is they would have to keep that $35.7 million salary cap hit on the books at the start of the league year, through free agency and after the 2024 NFL draft while figuring out other ways to get under the salary cap. They wouldn’t receive any cap benefits by cutting Carr with that post-June 1 designation until after June 1.

So what’s to be done? The most likely outcome now is the same as it was when Carr’s deal was finalized in March. The Saints structured his contract with a planned restructure in the 2024 offseason that will convert most of his base salary into a new signing bonus, saving them more than $23 million against the cap. It will also mean that Carr’s cap hit of dead money in 2027 will approach $11.5 million. That’s assuming he plays out his four-year deal. If he’s released before it expires, that dead-money cap hit will accelerate to the current year.

When might that happen? This was designed to be a two-year deal with a team option in 2025; that’s when the Saints have an exit ramp to decide whether keeping Carr is worth the price (and trouble) or if it’s better to move on. If they do restructure his contract in 2024 and then release him in 2025, it would leave about $33 million behind in dead money but still save the Saints roughly $13 million. So much depends on the salary cap’s continued rise; some estimates have it reaching as high as $282 million by 2025, which would make that dead-money hit for Carr significantly easier to swallow.

Oh, so $33 million, that’s all? It’s ridiculous that we’ve gotten to this point in the discourse surrounding Carr and the Saints, but that’s the reality. Carr hasn’t played well enough through his first 11 games to earn the promise of 57 more starts (plus any potential playoff games). He hasn’t played well enough to justify the contract the Saints paid him, even if it is in line with other starting quarterbacks’ deals, and he hasn’t performed at a high enough level to dissuade them from drafting a young passer to develop as the future of the franchise.

Is that likely? No, not with Allen as head coach, and Carr’s contract structure essentially bought him another year on the job. Carr is here because Allen recruited him. If the Saints are stuck with Allen’s quarterback anyway, they may as well make him go down with that ship. We can see Loomis making the case for a third futile year with Allen at the helm already, now that he’s got his quarterback with a full season to settle in (not that a nine-year veteran should need it). Can’t you?

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Blind test: How do the Saints’ post-Drew Brees quarterbacks stack up?

How do the Saints’ post-Drew Brees quarterbacks stack up? Ignore names and contracts and run the numbers in our blind test:

Life without Drew Brees has been hard on the New Orleans Saints. They’ve wandered the desert from one quarterback to the next, constantly searching for an oasis — only to stumble into one mirage after another.

When Derek Carr put pen to paper on a four-year, $150 million contract this offseason, it looked like the Saints had finally found what they were looking for. But their offense has left a lot to be desired with Carr under center, and comparing his performance to the quarterbacks who preceded him doesn’t paint a flattering picture.

Some quarterbacks (like Trevor Siemian) have a much smaller sample size than others. Some were only in New Orleans for one season (like Andy Dalton) while we have multiple years of data to work with for others (Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill). So while it isn’t the cleanest comparison, we’re looking at per-game averages and per-dropback stats as opposed to volume metrics to try and account for the variance in sample sizes.

And because this is a blind test, we’ll hide each quarterback’s identity until the end. We’re effectively taking the names off the jerseys to see how they stack up by the numbers, removing biases and factors like contracts and play callers. Here’s what we found, with the top performer in each category highlighted in bold text: