The Big Lead

Saints standing by Derek Carr as starting quarterback, but don't expect them to stop shopping

By Sam Westmoreland

Dec 15, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) after a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) after a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
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The Saints appear to have put an end to the controversy surrounding the quarterback position, at least for now.

According to ESPN's Katherine Terrell, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Kellen Moore both backed incumbent veteran Derek Carr to be their starter next year.

"I think we feel like we've got a guy we can win with," Loomis said on Wednesday.

Moore echoed those sentiments, saying "We feel fortunate to have Derek here, the experience he has. He's a big-time quarterback in this league."

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There had been speculation that the Saints might move on from Carr due to a combination of production and contract issues. New Orleans is in serious cap trouble once again, and Carr's $51.4 cap number is a big hit in that regard. The Saints were clearly hoping to restructure the deal, or, failing that, find help in the draft or via free agency.

Unfortunately for New Orleans, this is not a good year to be quarterback needy. The free agent class is uninspiring at best, and the draft class is one of the weakest at the position in quite some time. Compared to the high-risk proposition of someone like, say, Jaxson Dart or round 2 of Jameis Winston in New Orleans, the solid, if occasionally unspectacular play of Carr is a much, much better on-field option than anything the Saints might be able to find out on the market this offseason.

It also likely means they're making some kind of headway on restructuring Carr's contract to give them a little bit of breathing room. The Saints still have holes to fill on both sides of the ball, and need to free up cash to do it.

But just because they're sticking with Carr now doesn't mean they're going to keep sticking with him moving forward. This team needs to find an answer at quarterback, and while Carr is fine, fine probably isn't going to cut it over the long term.

You can believe that when a better option is available for New Orleans, they're going to take it. It's clear that while Carr is the best option for now, he's not the best option long-term. And a coach like Moore needs to think long-term as much as short-term.

So while Carr figures to be the Saints' quarterback next season, if things don't go well for them, expect to be right back here next year shopping for another answer.

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