Ex-Raiders QB Derek Carr Signs With the New Orleans Saints

Raiders' QB Derek Carr in 2017.
Raiders' QB Derek Carr in 2017. Photo by Manny Flores/CSM/REX/Shutterstock (9027834ag)

The first quarterback domino of the offseason has fallen. On Monday, the New Orleans Saints announced that they have signed veteran quarterback Derek Carr to a four-year contract.

Carr was one of the biggest names available on the free agent market and drew interest from the New York Jets, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Carolina Panthers. However, the familiarity with the Saints head coach Dennis Allen, who was with the Las Vegas Raiders when they drafted Carr in 2014, played a key role in the player choosing New Orleans as his new destination.

“Derek is an outstanding addition to the New Orleans Saints, and I can’t wait to get working with him and the rest of our team this offseason, “said Allen in a statement.

The Saints have not shared the financial terms of Carr’s deal, but NFL Network reports that the 31-year-old player will get $150 million over four years, including $100 million in guarantees. He also gets a no-trade clause.

Derek Carr joins the Saints after spending the first nine years of his career with the Raiders. During that time, the Fresno State product earned four Pro Bowl nods, including one in 2022, and led the franchise to two playoff appearances. However, the Raiders decided they would start fresh at the QB position after 2022 and released Carr in February after failing to trade him.

In Carr, the Saints get a dependable player who might not have a high ceiling but will bring stability to the position that has seen little consistency since Drew Brees retired in 2020. In the past two years, New Orleans started Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian, Ian Book, and Andy Dalton under center.