What other Saints wideouts can learn from Austin Carr

The Saints claimed Carr off waivers after his 2017 preseason with the Patriots.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Austin Carr (80) celebrates after scoring on a 27-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Saints defeated the Chargers 19-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

METAIRIE, La. -- Austin Carr played his first preseason with the New England Patriots, catching 14 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns. When the Patriots waived him after the last of four exhibition games, the New Orleans Saints put in a claim. 

Nearly two seasons later, Carr is in a fight to make the 53-man roster for a third season in a row. 

But if anybody among the Saints' 11 receivers on the training camp roster stands as a living example of how those players compete not only with each other for roster spots, but also with the wideouts on the 31 other teams, it's Carr.

Sean Payton reminds players every preseason about how they're competing with players around the entire league for roster spots, which makes what they do during games all the more meaningful. 

It's how Carr went from the Patriots to the Saints.

"You want to be locked in for every preseason game," Carr said. "You want to put your best product out there."

The Saints have Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr. and Tre'Quan Smith as shoo-ins to make the roster. Among the other wideouts, Carr has the most experience in a field that also includes undrafted rookies Emmanuel Butler and Lil'Jordan Humphrey along with former LSU track star Cyril Grayson Jr. 

The 6-foot-4 Butler has shined during training camp despite his zero catches with one drop among three passes thrown in his direction in his preseason debut Sunday against the Chargers.

Humphrey, also at 6 feet 4, has three catches in two games, with two of his receptions going for big gains -- one that resulted in a 33-yard touchdown reception that ended with a stiff-arm into the end zone against the Vikings.

He also caught an 18-yard pass at the start of a drive that ended with the winning field goal by Wil Lutz with 1 minute, 5 seconds left against the Chargers.

The speedy Grayson has shown his quickness on receptions of 32 yards against the Vikings and 23 yards against the Chargers. Still, Payton has said Grayson has more to learn about the offense.

Other wideouts include Simmie Cobbs and Travin Dural. Keith Kirkwood, who caught 13 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns after he began last season on the practice squad, missed the two preseason games due to injury.

Which brings things back to Carr.

The Saints typically keep five or six wideouts on the roster, and Carr's experience should make him a front-runner for one of the last two or three spots at that position. 

Carr joined the Saints in part because Payton liked what he saw on film from the undrafted then-rookie from Northwestern.

“He is a savvy player," the coach said. "He's smart. He understands route principles versus man and zone. I think he transitions real well in and out of cuts. I think the production and the football IQ, all those things factor in."

Carr caught the first two touchdown passes of his career last season in successive home wins against the Eagles and Falcons. He completed the season with nine receptions for 97 yards in 14 games.

His lone reception this preseason came on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Taysom Hill in the third quarter against the Chargers. Carr described himself as the last option for Hill on that play.

Carr's experience in the offense helped him stay ready for the unexpected pass near the goal line on the right side of the field.

"The offense is more natural, it's like breathing," Carr said. "Being able to be plugged in at different spots on the offense feels better now. And then just another year of experience with Drew (Brees) helps a lot for us to be on the same page."

It's a place many other receivers currently on the roster hope to be in a couple years. If not with the Saints, then certainly with another team, provided they put something desirable on video during the next two preseason games like Carr did two years ago with the Patriots.