During his first presser as the new head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Kellen Moore was essentially noncommittal about the future of current team quarterback Derek Carr.
Asked whether he views the 33-year-old as a Week 1 starter, Moore sidestepped a definitive answer while noting he is "really excited to team up with [Carr] and go through this process."
"Yeah, Derek's a tremendous quarterback in this league. I have so much respect for him, the journey that he's been on," Moore said. "He's a starter in this league, he's a premiere player in this league. He's had a great journey. ... Really excited to team up with him and go through this process. Just like another player on this roster, I just got here a few days ago and I'm excited to go through this journey with all of them."
Moore would later repeat a similar answer when asked whether he views the team's quarterback situation as one where a decision is necessary or one where a decision has already been made (i.e. that Carr will fill the position).
"I view it as Derek Carr is a tremendous starting quarterback in this league," he responded. "We're fortunate to have him and we're excited to go through this process, as we build this roster together," Moore told reporters, praising Carr but not exactly committing to a role for the quarterback.
Soon after that, the 36-year-old coach was then asked again to describe "the process" he was referring to, but he once more reiterated that he had only just arrived and didn't get into any specifics.
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Of course, you could interpret the line about feeling excited to team up with Carr as a sign of plans to keep the QB. But Saints reporter Nick Underhill described the back and forth as Moore being "pressed" to elaborate on these plans and said the coach "would not make a commitment either way." Unsurprising for a first presser, but potentially a harbinger of what's to come.
As it stands, Carr represents a huge question for the Saints from a cap-hit perspective. The team is already nearly $60 million over the cap this offseason, and Carr is slated to take up $51.4 million on next year’s payroll. As a solution, the team could restructure his deal, trade him (though he has a no-trade clause), or release him—but sounds like the front office isn't sure yet or isn't ready to announce their plans either way.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kellen Moore Sidesteps Question About Derek Carr’s Future As Saints QB.
