Ex-NFL QB Predicts Derek Carr Will Thrive With Saints

A former NFL quarterback has faith in Derek Carr's potential to thrive as a member of the New Orleans Saints.

Peyton Manning may be right about how a new team could "rejuvenate" a quarterback's career.  We've seen first-hand in the second life Drew Brees had with New Orleans after departing from the Chargers.  His connection with Sean Payton, his players, his fans, and the Gulf Coast region was unique and rare — it created a winning formula.  33rd Team's Jordan Palmer believes Derek Carr "can do exactly what the Saints need" as a quarterback.

CARR CAN BE 3-FOR-3

The former NFL signal-caller pointed out that if "you're a guy who's been played at a high level and been paid at a high level, you need to be three for three in the following categories:

1. Able to take shots downfield.
2. Able to move the chains on third downs.
3. Able to throw with timing, accuracy, and the right tempo on the ball and be able to read some complex coverages and read complicated pressures.

Derek Carr says, "The New Orleans Saints are going to level up because their new veteran quarterback can go 3-for-3 in those categories."

Jun 13, 2023; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) passes during minicamp at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

CARR HAS WEAPONS

Derek Carr has a variety of weapons in his arsenal, including talented wide receivers in New Orleans.  When it comes to offensive targets, Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Alvin Kamara, Juwan Johnson, Foster Moreau, Taysom Hill, and the young players, Carr should be able to make a significant impact against their 2023-24 opponents.

The 10-year veteran is not a slouch in the pocket. Carr has reached 35,000 passing yards in his career, with only 32 other players in NFL history (7 active) reaching that mark, according to Sports Radar 360.  Eight times he's tossed 20+ touchdowns in a single season.

With Andy Dalton at quarterback, New Orleans started to push the football downfield with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed in the second half of 2022-23.  Palmer considers Carr "one of the better deep ball throwers" in the National Football League over the past few years.

IMPROVEMENTS ON 3RD DOWN, RED ZONE

Improvement on third down is necessary for Carr, and here's the reason why. During his time in Las Vegas, he had passing rates of 35.3% on first downs, 35.5% on second downs, and 27.1% on third downs. One possible reason for his limited number of passes on third downs (only 136) could be due to the presence of Josh Jacobs in the backfield, who may have been a key part of the team's offensive strategy.

Also, he threw 287 passes for 57.2% on 7 to 10 yards to go. His passing percentages fell to 18.1% on 11+ yards, 17.3% on 4-6 yards, and 7.4% on 0-3 yards. Carr can win in the intermediate passes, especially to Thomas and Olave. With Dalton, New Orleans was 21st in scoring touchdowns in the red zone at 52.08%, down from 58.93% in 2021.

To sum up, Palmer believes Derek Carr will do well with the Saints. "A veteran quarterback who can push the ball down the field went on third down and be accurate in the red zone. You've got somebody who can manage large volumes of information and make very quick decisions."

Will Carr be successful in 2023-34 as Jordan Palmer predicts?

We shall see.