Tag: Derek Carr

Derek Carr, Juwan Johnson competing in a national cornhole tournament

Derek Carr and Juwan Johnson are back in competition, but not on the field. They’re in the American Cornhole League’s Superhole tournament:

The American Cornhole League is hosting their fifth annual Superhole event, with the qualifying round of the tournament taking place in New Orleans. Not only is it in the city, Saints starters Derek Carr and Juwan Johnson are participating as well. The incentive for victory starts with a $100,000 cash prize for winning it all.

Johnson and Carr aren’t partners, however. Each will be paired with an ACL pro and will compete against other NFL players. Johnson, paired with Frank Modlin, looks to take down Eric Kendricks. Meanwhile Carr, paired with Trevor Kuhfuss, looks to defeat former Saints first-round draft pick Brandin Cooks. The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots also have players in the New Orleans qualifying round.

Going through withdrawals from seeing your Saints compete? This is the kind of event that could slightly scratch the itch leading up to the NFL draft. Seeing that it’s in New Orleans you could also call it a home game of sorts. Carr and Johnson’s Superhole qualifying round airs live Saturday, April 20 at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

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B/R: Saints’ inactivity hurts their offseason grade heading into the draft

The rubric: free agency, cap management, draft preparation and team direction. How does Bleacher Report grade the Saints’ offseason?

Bleacher Report scouting department has graded the offseason for each NFL team. Kris Knox evaluated the NFC teams while his constituent Alex Ballentine evaluated the AFC. Free agency obviously plays a big part, but salary cap management, preparation for the 2024 draft and general team direction all play a part in forming the team’s grade.

The New Orleans Saints haven’t been overly active in free agency. The biggest move they made was bringing in Chase Young on a prove it contract. That likely brings down their grade, but they have managed the cap well this offseason. The rest of the rubric is subjective. Cumulatively, Knox gave the Saints a C. Here’s why:

There really isn’t much to discuss regarding New Orleans’ offseason. The Saints entered the offseason facing a massive cap deficit, and general manager Mickey Loomis had to work just to get the franchise in compliance.

Everything will hinge on how New Orleans fares in the draft because the Saints’ penchant for kicking contracts down the road is catching up to them. Give Loomis credit for not selling off the entire roster just to manage the salary cap, but New Orleans largely looks like the same squad it was a year ago.

The first line sums up why a low grade was expected. “There really isn’t much to discuss regarding New Orleans’ offseason.” That’d be acceptable if the Saints were at least coming off a playoff berth. Finances played a part, but it does feel like they played it safer than required.

Knox lays out offensive line and wide receiver as positions of need heading into next week’s draft. Wide receiver still needs more bodies despite the addition of Cedrick Wilson Jr., Stanley Morgan, and Equanimeous St. Brown. They also need an impactful player whether in the form of a draft pick or A.T. Perry. The offensive line needed help coming into the offseason and the outlook, like Ryan Ramczyk’s health, got worse as the offseason has progressed.

You can’t return essentially the same team that didn’t make the playoffs and feel good about it. That places a lot of pressure on Klint Kubiak as the biggest new piece to tilt the Saints’ trajectory upward. He can’t afford for Derek Carr and Chris Olave to have as many quiet spells as we saw last season. Even with their flashes last year, New Orleans needed some juice heading into the upcoming season. The NFL draft will be vital to the success of this team moving forward.

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Derek Carr could get closer to a rare feat by beating his former team

Only four quarterbacks have beaten all 32 teams. Derek Carr is closer than you’d think, and could get even closer by getting revenge against the Raiders:

Don’t be surprised if the New Orleans Saints play the Las Vegas Raiders in the season opener. Neither team’s cachet is particularly high, so the NFL likely won’t push them as a marquee matchup. Derek Carr playing his former team is enough to schedule it as a season opener, even if it’s a 12 p.m. game. Carr certainly has that game circled.

Toppling his former team would get Carr closer to a rare feat. In his decade-long career, Carr has defeated 27 of the 32 teams in the NFL. He’s played against 31 of them, and this year he will face the Raiders for the first time.

Only four quarterbacks have ever defeated all 32 teams: Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. Carr is also winless against the Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings. Out of that group, New Orleans plays every team other than the Vikings this season. Carr isn’t a future Hall of Famer, but he’s surprisingly sneaking up on a rare feat.

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B/R picks three very different Saints quarterbacks as comparisons for Bo Nix

Bleacher Report picked three very different New Orleans Saints quarterbacks as pro comparisons for Oregon draft prospect Bo Nix:

You won’t find Derek Carr, Andy Dalton, and Drew Brees mentioned in the same conversation too often, but that’s where we found ourselves here. Bleacher Report’s Derrick Klassen shared his scouting report on Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, a prospect in the 2024 NFL draft, and offered a couple of different pro comparisons for Nix: Carr, Dalton, and Brees.

Incidentally, all three of them have played for the New Orleans Saints. And that’s where this comparison falls apart. Brees of course accomplished a Pro Football Hall of Fame-worthy career in black and gold. Dalton spent a single year in New Orleans, having been signed to back up Jameis Winston before being given the starting job, and he ended that season with the worst offensive output the Saints had seen in decades. The jury is still out on Carr, but the early returns aren’t good.

Still, we’re missing the forest for the trees here. Klassen’s greater point is that Nix should be seen as a high-end backup who should probably be picked early in the second round of this year’s draft. That’s where Brees (drafted with the first pick of the second round), Dalton (the third pick in the second round), and Carr (the fourth pick in the second round) all went off the board. While Dalton and Carr both started as rookies, Brees didn’t, though it’s worth noting he played in a different era that took a more patient approach to young quarterbacks.

So does this mean Nix could end up wearing black and gold in New Orleans, too? Probably not this year. If he’s projected to be picked before the Saints go on the clock at No. 45 overall, he probably won’t make it to them. At the same time the Saints have been seen as a possibility to draft him. Quarterback is low on their list of needs but if they believe Nix has a chance at supplanting Carr in the next year or two, it shouldn’t shock anyone if they draft him.

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B/R writer argues Saints should trade down in 2024, stockpile draft picks for 2025

The Saints don’t typically trade down, but Bleacher Report argues they should break the mold to stockpile picks for next year’s draft:

As the New Orleans Saints finish preparing for the 2024 NFL draft, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay argues the Saints should deviate from their norm and trade down to stockpile 2025 draft picks. Kay doesn’t believe the Saints are in a position to succeed this year, so they should prioritize the future and start padding out their war chest for 2025.

Here’s what Kay had to support the case for trading down and laying the groundwork to move on from Derek Carr:

The New Orleans Saints have been stuck in NFL purgatory since the retirement of Drew Brees following the 2020 season. The team has gone 25-26 in that span, never finishing worse than 7-10 and never better than 9-8—including last year when it posted that record and earned the No. 14 overall pick in the upcoming draft.

That draft position isn’t ideal for a team that is becoming desperate to find a proper heir to Brees’ throne. After striking out with the likes of Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill, the front office attempted to take another veteran shortcut by signing Derek Carr last year.

Carr is a four-time Pro Bowler, but he isn’t the right man to lead the Saints back to relevance. Even after a bounce-back 2023 season that saw him throw for 3,878 yards and 25 touchdowns with only eight interceptions, Carr still failed to take New Orleans to the playoffs. After a decade in the NFL, the 33-year-old has played in only two postseason games.

The Saints have to find a way to acquire a high-upside rookie who can eventually take over under center. It’s likely too pricy for the club to maneuver up the board this year—teams have been seeking a “historic haul” to trade out from the top spots—but it’s possible the Saints could put themselves in a better position to land the right prospect by trading back.

New Orleans’ brass shouldn’t shy away from a move down into the latter portion of the first round this year, a spot where it could try rolling the dice on Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. at a spot that makes more sense than No. 14.

The Saints would be wise to accept a package including 2025 picks as part of any trade back, giving the team a bigger influx of talent for a season in which their 2024 rookie prospect should be ready to usurp Carr as the starter.

This isn’t going to happen. For one, the Saints notoriously do not trade back under general manager Mickey Loomis, instead opting to be aggressors in the draft while looking to move higher. If they do trade down, it’ll likely be for compensation in this year’s draft. Also, New Orleans is unlikely to grab a replacement for Carr in the form of a high profile quarterback. Maybe they draft a guy on Day 3, or the right guy will have to fall in their lap.

The fundamental different between Kay and the Saints is the belief in Carr. They aren’t actively searching for the new franchise quarterback. Carr is believed to be that for at least the short term future. It would be surprising to see the Saints identify and select a player this year they know will set up an inevitable departure for Carr.

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Dennis Allen ranked worst among NFL’s returning head coaches

This isn’t a glowing endorsement for Dennis Allen. The New Orleans Saints head coach was ranked worst among the NFL’s returning coaches by NBC Sports:

This isn’t a glowing endorsement for Dennis Allen. The New Orleans Saints head coach was graded worst among his peers by NBC Sports analyst Patrick Daugherty, clocking in at the bottom of the offseason coach rankings — at least among returning head coaches. The eight first-year coaches were also ranked beneath Allen, but that’s because they’re all relatively unknown quantities.

Unfortunately for Allen, we know exactly what he is and where his shortcomings lie. We’ll let Daugherty explain why Allen was ranked at No. 24 among the 24 head coaches returning from 2023:

“We lost a lot of bad coaches last winter. Arthur Smith, Brandon Staley, Josh McDaniels and Ron Rivera send their regards. That means we are left with the merely mediocre to round out our list. No one is more committed to the bit than Dennis Allen. A defensive coordinator trapped in a head coach’s body, Allen has treated Sean Payton’s leftover offense like a museum heirloom that disintegrates if you touch it. This is an attack that hasn’t innovated in three years, right down to banging Alvin Kamara between the tackles for no reason and rushing Taysom Hill onto the field any time there’s a critical down. Well, it’s not entirely true there’s been no innovation. Allen has decided to find out just how boring Drew Brees-style quarterbacking can become. Andy Dalton pushed the envelope in 2022. Derek Carr reached new heights in 2023. Allen, who admittedly takes care of business on defense, has finally moved on from Payton Ball on offense but replaced it with … Kubiak Ball. Not Gary, but Klint. It’s a fine system in a vacuum. It’s also become mummified under Klint, with no new wrinkles inserted since the Peyton Manning days in Denver. Maybe 2023 49ers passing-game coordinator Klint learned something under coach Kyle Shanahan. That’s what the Saints’ season and Allen’s future employment hinges on: This old Kubiak dog picking up some new Shanahan tricks. I suppose there are worse plans, but I’m not seeing many for 2024.”

That uncalled-for shot at Taysom Hill aside — the Saints have used him on critical downs because he’s more reliable than anyone else, being one of 11 players in the NFL with a positive success rate as both a runner and receiver on 100-plus touches — this is a good assessment of the trouble the Saints have found themselves in.

Allen was either unable or unwilling to replace Pete Carmichael when it was clear he couldn’t call a functional offense in 2022, and he bet big on Derek Carr covering up Carmichael’s shortcomings in 2023. That’s a bet he lost, which is why the offensive coaching staff was overhauled from the top down.

Now Allen is gambling again, hoping that Kubiak will run an offense styled more strongly after Shanahan’s example than what we’ve seen when Kubiak called plays in the past. With the odds stacked against him, he has to be hoping for this plan to pay off.

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Saints suggested as a good fit for Jets draft bust Zach Wilson

The New Orleans Saints were suggested as a good fit for New York Jets draft bust Zach Wilson. But they shouldn’t trade anything for him:

Where will Zach Wilson play football in 2024? The New York Jets draft bust has been given permission to look for a trade partner, but there haven’t been many takers. With other former first-round quarterbacks changing teams it feels like only a matter of time until Wilson ejects.

It just might be difficult for him to find a parachute first. Throwing 25 interceptions in 33 starts will do a lot to turn off suitors. Despite that, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin argues that the New Orleans Saints could be interested in Wilson’s services, writing:

There isn’t exactly a strong market for a former top-three pick whose erratic quarterbacking resulted in multiple demotions, but at just 24 with dual-threat traits, Wilson could be a low-risk reclamation project for a contender. The return would almost certainly not exceed that which the Bears or Patriots got for Justin Fields and Mac Jones, respectively. But one thing’s for sure: The Jets have had their fill, with the aging but superior Aaron Rodgers once again back in the saddle.

There are some coaches on staff Wilson knows well like John Benton, the former Jets offensive line coach, and Wilson wouldn’t face as much pressure competing with Jake Haener to back up Derek Carr. He’d be more competitive in that role than Nathan Peterman will be.

But is it worth trading anything for him? Probably not. If the vision is for Haener to knock down whatever punching bag the Saints set in front of him, it makes more sense to sign a player like Peterman on a non-guaranteed minimum salary than to invest draft capital in Wilson (even if it’s nothing more than a late-round pick). And there’s the possibility of Wilson being released outright. If that comes to pass, then it’s worth seeing if Wilson is willing to match Peterman’s modest salary.

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CBS Sports doesn’t buy the Saints as a new playoff team in 2024

CBS Sports doesn’t buy the Saints as a new playoff team in 2024. New Orleans has more work to do before they’ll earn anyone’s confidence:

Not many people are buying what the New Orleans Saints are selling — that a team quarterbacked by Derek Carr and coached by Dennis Allen can reach the postseason. Between their own shortcomings and the upgrades other teams in the NFC South have made this offseason, New Orleans is predicted to be watching the playoffs from home like everyone else.

It’s the Atlanta Falcons who will be hosting a playoff game next January, argues Cody Benjamin for CBS Sports. Here’s why Benjamin argues the Falcons, not the Saints, are going to the postseason in 2024:

The Falcons had all the ingredients for a wild-card run in 2023, except a legitimate signal-caller. Now Kirk Cousins is under center, and while his career suggests more of a steady hand than a special talent, he’s got enough ascending skill talent and underrated defensive support to warrant an instant playoff berth in the wide-open NFC South.

It’s early, but Cousins might be the most overrated player to change teams this offseason. The quarterback turns 36 this summer and is coming off of Achilles surgery after an unsuccessful six-year run with the Minnesota Vikings in which he won as many home playoff games as he did in six years with Washington: zero. The only postseason success Cousins found in Minnesota came in 2019, when the Saints (who else?) choked in front of their own home crowd.

Cousins and Carr have been unfavorably compared to each other for years, and their numbers are very similar. So are their resumes. You could argue that Cousins is entering a better situation than Carr found in New Orleans last season, but they’re both teaming up with defensive-minded head coaches who got ran out of one NFL city once already, and who both have sub-.400 career winning percentages (Dennis Allen is at .343, Raheem Morris is at .356). They aren’t that different.

Maybe Cousins is a better quarterback than his production suggests, but he isn’t much better than Carr. The Falcons haven’t won anything with the roster he’s inheriting. At least the Saints have players who have won games in January before, even if it’s been a while. We’ll have to wait and see whether all this confidence Cousins is receiving was warranted when the season kicks off in September.

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B/R writer sees little cause for quarterback panic from the Saints

Bleacher Report isn’t a believer in Derek Carr, so why do they feel the Saints’ panic level at quarterback is low? What about the rest of the NFC South?

Should New Orleans Saints fans feel panic about their quarterback? Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon broke down how concerned each team should be about their current quarterback situation. The levels on his “Panic Meter” ranged from nonexistent to red alert.

Derek Carr is a polarizing figure among the Who Dat Nation, so answers would vary depending on who you ask. But Gagnon puts the concern at a low level for the Saints, writing:

New Orleans Saints: Low

This rating is mainly because they’re sort of stuck with Derek Carr financially for at least two more years. It could get ugly real soon, though.

The assurance of Carr’s future keeps Gagnon from panicking. If Carr doesn’t deliver this season, the Saints could draft a replacement and sit him at the start of the 2025 season. Derek Carr is not a horrible quarterback. He’s an average quarterback. If New Orleans wants to elevate, he probably won’t be the leader. They could do much worse, but it’s tough to see the Saints doing much better without making big changes.

Logically, Gagnon says the Atlanta Falcons find themselves with the lowest panic level in the division. Kirk Cousins is a solid quarterback and should lead the team for a few years at least. The Carolina Panthers do find themselves with a higher concern level than New Orleans though. Gagnon is already looking at potentially moving on from Bryce Young. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are treading water after extending Baker Mayfield. Will all four quarterbacks still be in place this time next year? In two years? Three? We’ll have to wait and see.

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B/R writer suggest Saints should throw in the towel ahead of NFL draft

The one piece of advice Bleacher Report gave to the Saints ahead of the 2024 NFL draft: get ready to give up, go into a rebuild, and start over:

It almost goes without saying by now that the 2024 NFL draft is going to be pivotal for the New Orleans Saints, but it doesn’t hurt to use more examples to drive that point home. Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon shared one piece of advice for every team going into this year’s draft, but his take on the Saints’ best path forward isn’t exactly encouraging.

“Be prepared to throw in the towel and start the rebuild,” Gagnon wrote, “because it has to happen eventually and this roster still isn’t good enough.”

As pessimistic as that may sound, let’s address the sentiment with the same level of bluntness. The Saints aren’t far from this being their reality. A year from now the Saints could be in a rebuild wishing they had started it a year early. With the age of Demario Davis (35), Cameron Jordan (34), and Tyrann Mathieu (31), New Orleans could be forced into this at any time. Their defense needs an injection of young talent.

Today is not the day. Dennis Allen has done nothing to afford the luxury of being the Saints’ head coach to lead them through a rebuild. That process should come with a new coach and new quarterback. This is Derek Carr’s second year in black and gold. He’ll get another year to right the ship after the Saints restructured his contract, tying themselves to him tighter.

The Saints can still compete for the NFC South title and aren’t far from being able to win a playoff game. They dismantled the same Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that dismantled the Philadelphia Eagles just a few weeks later. They aren’t competing for any Super Bowls, but they aren’t a bottom-feeder who should throw in the towel. The way their roster is constructed, they couldn’t reboot right now even if they wanted to. The NFC South is still within their reach and that goal will prevent them from throwing in the towel as Gagnon suggests.

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