Some QB updates from ESPN’s Postseason NFL Countdown on Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Derek Carr and Lamar Jackson: pic.twitter.com/nvtC06bw0p
Buy Saints Tickets— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 21, 2023
Every team in the NFC South lost 10 games in 2022, and they’re all looking to start new quarterbacks in hopes of turning that around in 2023. Tom Brady is on his way out from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Atlanta Falcons aren’t fully committed to Desmond Ridder, their 2022 third-round draft pick, and the Carolina Panthers don’t have a viable option on the roster. Assuming they don’t trade the No. 9 overall pick for Sean Payton, Carolina is well-positioned to draft a rookie prospect early on. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints do have Jameis Winston under contract for 2023, but it feels like he’ll be looking for a new team soon.
And longtime Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is drawing a ton of attention as the Raiders field trade offers for him. ESPN’s Adam Schefter rattled off a list of teams in the market for a quarterback this offseason, including all four teams in New Orleans’ division.
“As usual with quarterbacks, the demand exceeds the supply,” Schefter began, “The entire NFC South is expected to be in the market for a new quarterback. The Jets, the Commanders, the Colts, the Texans. There are so many teams that need quarterbacks, which elevates the value of Carr. And that is why at some point this offseason, earlier rather than later, he is expected to be traded.”
Carr was drafted back in 2014 by then-Raiders head coach Dennis Allen, who needs a passer again and could team up with the former Fresno State Bulldog. The Saints would probably have to give up a couple of draft picks to take on Carr’s bloated contract, which is concerning given the lack of depth that was exposed during their injury-plagued 2021 and 2022 seasons.
New Orleans needs to hold onto its picks and rebuild this roster with young, affordable talent. Making a big trade for a quarterback who might not be an upgrade over the likes of Winston and Andy Dalton is ill-advised. But Allen needs to win a lot of games in 2023 to justify the front office’s faith in him. If he feels Carr gives him a chance at getting to the playoffs and winning a postseason game (which Carr never did in nine years with the Raiders), he’s likely going to be desperate enough to try.
