There were highlight players for the New Orleans Saints, but Chris Olave and Derek Carr seemed to be the most consistent standouts. That’s a good thing.
If you asked who had the most eyes on them going into minicamp, Derek Carr would have been one of, if not, the first name listed. He’s a new quarterback for a team that feels like they’re a quarterback away from being a true quality team. His performance is imperative to the Saints success in 2023.That process starts in the offseason.
Of course, there was no pass rush, but it was deeper than how his passes look. They did look good, though. It was the leadership Carr showed that stood out more than anything else. His presence was commanding and he was constantly working with his targets on things like ball placement.
Chris Olave was held out of the last day of minicamp with Achilles inflammation, but he made some of the biggest plays during minicamp prior to that. His biggest play was a deep catch over Alontae Taylor. Olave came into camp slightly heavier than we saw last year, which benefited him on contested catches like the pass against Taylor. Simply put, Olave has stolen the show this offseason.
You trust your defense to remain stout for another season, so the eyes naturally turn to the offense. With Carr and Olave standing out together, it creates optimism for a dangerous duo in the season. If the chemistry can carry over to the season, everything at this time must carry that preface, the Saints offense will be more explosive than it’s been since 2019. That was the last time the Saints had a true quarterback-wide receiver tandem. If minicamp is any sign, that drought ends this year.
