The Saints reportedly received permission to invite Raiders quarterback Derek Carr for a visit on Wednesday, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Carr’s visit to New Orleans comes as the Las Vegas reportedly gave the four-time Pro Bowler permission on Friday to speak with teams that agreed to meet the terms that the team is seeking in a trade, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
In making a trip to the Big Easy, there lies some commonality between Carr and the Saints.
New Orleans coach Dennis Allen served as the Raiders coach when Carr was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft.
However, Allen and Carr did not have much success—the team went 0–4 to start the season and Allen was subsequently fired. But things could be different this time in New Orleans, especially for a team in dire need of a new quarterback that would be surrounded by some offensive weapons.
Carr has made it clear that he does not want to remain in Las Vegas for the 2023 season, meaning he will not extend his contract past Feb. 15. If he was to extend it, he would receive his guaranteed $40 million.
If Las Vegas fails to trade Carr by Feb. 15, the Raiders would release him, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. Carr signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension with Las Vegas in 2017 followed by a three-year, $121.5 million extension in spring ’22.
If the Raiders manage to cut Carr before Feb. 15, he would count for $5.625 million on the team’s cap. Carr’s $32.9 million base salary in 2023 becomes guaranteed on Feb. 15, as does $7.5 million of his ’24 base salary.
