NFL insider explains how the New Orleans Saints could cut ties with Derek Carr in 2024
Following his release by the Las Vegas Raiders, quarterback Derek Carr was lured to Louisiana by the New Orleans Saints, who emerged victorious in a bidding battle. New Orleans might experience the same thing as the Raiders a year from now.
Last spring, Las Vegas looked everywhere for a trade partner for Carr, and the Saints were one of the clubs that expressed interest. But the veteran quarterback’s deal had a no-trade clause, and he would have a large 2023 cap charge that would have made trading him all but impossible. He signed with New Orleans not long after being freed.
- Derek Carr 2023 stats: 3,417 passing yards, 7.0 yards per attempt, 227.8 passing yards per game, 51.6 yards per pass attempt, 93.6 QB rating, 67.4% completion percentage, and 19-8 TD-INT
The Saints anticipated that Carr would help this offense advance farther, win the NFC South, and increase the offensive unit’s consistency. Nonetheless, Andy Dalton’s performance in New Orleans during the previous season has surpassed him in comparison.
With head coach Dennis Allen already on the NFL coaching hot seat, there are now growing calls for the front office to also make a change at quarterback in 2024. While it wouldn’t be the most cost-effective option for New Orleans, it does at least appear to be somewhat plausible.
“I think he was fine,” Allen said. I think he was fine. I think, obviously, there’s sometimes, again, where maybe get through his progression a little bit quicker, maybe hang in there a little bit more. There’s a lot of things that go into it, but I thought overall, it was a solid game for him.”
New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen on Derek Carr’s performance in Week 16
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Saints could cut Carr before the additional $10 million he would be owed in 2025 becomes fully guaranteed in March of next year, and they could also eat the $30 million fully guaranteed that he is owed in 2024.
Derek Carr contract: complete no-trade clause, $7.2 million cap hit in 2023, $35.7 million cap hit in 2024, and $45.7 million cap hit in 2025
Florio thinks there’s a greater chance if the Saints go after a coaching change, even if he doesn’t think that’s going to happen. The next head coach of New Orleans may wish to select the starting quarterback for 2024 if they chose to sign an outside candidate.
In such case, it’s possible that Carr will be mentioned in NFL trade rumors by the Saints. He would still have a significant cap burden, but in 2024, as part of a trade with a team in need of a quarterback, New Orleans might offer to pay a portion of his contract.
Given that Carr still has a no-trade clause, the Saints would undoubtedly face the same obstacles as the Raiders experienced in the 2023 NFL offseason. However, the sheer amount of clubs looking for quarterback stability might at least generate a tiny market of potential bidders for Carr.
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