Saints analyst pressures Derek Carr to get “cooking” in second year of $150,000,000 deal
Derek Carr wasn't picked by many NFL fans or national analysts to light the league on fire in 2023. However, one beat writer covering the team didn't let that deter him from pressuring Carr to do so in 2024.
Writing in an article for Saints Wire, team analyst John Sigler called on the quarterback to continue his hot end to the 2023 season into 2024.
"If he plays like he did in the last five games... then we’ll be cooking. But if he’s slow to start, again, and fizzles out in the red zone while missing open receivers and wilting under pressure. That dooms everyone. He must hit the ground running," he wrote.
Sigler noted that Carr's hot streak near the end of the season was reflected in him scoring 14 touchdowns, two turnovers and seven sacks.
Of course, for as good as he looked near the end of the year, he still fell short of the playoffs.
The playoff miss also happened in a year with a seven-team conference playoff. Most agree that the NFC also lacks a true Mahomesian figure or even a slew of contenders that could fit into that mold. In other words, in a weaker NFC, Carr failed to capitalize.
Derek Carr inches into last cap-friendly year with New Orleans Saints
In addition to the pressure dumped on the Saints by analysts and fans, the Saints also face a race against the clock. According to Spotrac, Derek Carr is heading into a year in which his cap hit is a fraction of what it will be in 2025 and 2026.
This year, he is set to have just a $12 million cap hit for the team. Then, in 2025, his cap hit jumps to $51 million. Once that happens, the team could be out of a chunk of money that could go to two star free agents or impending free agents.
In turn, the inability to keep proven talent could lower the ceiling for the franchise in the future.
That said, in 2026, the team will have a financial incentive to move on from Carr, but they would still be forced to pay out an amount against the cap. As such, they would be paying something for nothing, which could be generally problematic.
Will the New Orleans Saints capitalize on the quarterback's last cheap season?