Saints use their final roster spot on slot receiver Austin Carr

The New Orleans Saints re-signed veteran slot receiver Austin Carr to a one-year contract, checking all 90 spots on their offseason roster.

The New Orleans Saints had just one spot left on their 90-man offseason roster, leading to some fun speculation among fans. Would the team use that vacancy to target one of the many veterans out there in free agency, going for broke on another pass rusher like Everson Griffen or Jadeveon Clowney?

No, it turns out. ESPN’s Field Yates reported Thursday that the Saints re-signed veteran slot receiver Austin Carr, which the team confirmed to be a one-year deal. Carr will be the thirteenth receiver to compete for five or six roster spots in training camp later this summer.

While he’s played often in his first three years with the team (averaging 22 snaps per game), Carr has rarely gotten open and drawn just 19 targets, including the postseason. He’s parlayed those opportunities into 11 catches to gain 111 receiving yards, scoring two touchdowns and converting six first downs.

We’ll see if Carr is able to make the roster again in 2020. He faces steep competition, but carries an edge as someone experienced in the Saints’ system. That could give him a leg up over undrafted rookie free agents like Oregon’s Juwan Johnson or Tennessee’s Marquez Callaway.

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