Derek Carr has his own way of doing things, but there's still a feeling out period as he acclimates to New Orleans.
One of those things: He's the one who points out the mike and sets the protections in the offense he runs. He just prefers it that way. But on the first couple of reps with Erik McCoy, the standout center did it first, a holdover from how things went the past few seasons.
“I’m just used to making the points and all that stuff. … At least he’s right, you know?" Carr said laughing at the team began its third OTA session. "He knows it, he’s smart.”
It's a sentiment echoed by every Saints quarterback that's worked with McCoy, which is quite a number over the past few seasons between Drew Brees, Taysom Hill, Teddy Bridgewater, Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian, Andy Dalton and now Carr. But it was something else that stood out when Carr found himself watching film. That was the big center sprinting 40 yards downfield for a block. He quickly texted McCoy the clip to share his appreciation.
“I just said, bro, this is so beyond impressive," Carr told reporters on Tuesday. "If we get everybody to play like this. If we can lead everybody and teach everybody to play with that kind of effort, it’ll be a special place, it’ll be a special time, I should say. And that’s just something that stuck out to me because it wasn’t just one time. Then I watched another play and it was happening and I’m like, I’m not going to text him 18 times. It’s like, every time."
When asked about that moment in the locker room, McCoy was impressed himself: Carr had just signed days earlier, and was already diving into film from the 2020 season.
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With that detail, it's possible the play that caught Carr's eye came in Week 2, when McCoy paved the road for Alvin Kamara on a long catch-and-run TD in a Sunday Night Football loss to the Packers.
That's just the type of thing McCoy does. And while it might have taken a few plays to get used to the new method of setting protections, the 25-year-old McCoy is just fine with it, and for one key reason.
"It takes some pressure off," McCoy said, "and makes it a little more I can just go play football, which is incredible.”
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Oh, and one more thing: "He snaps the ball good," Carr said, "so that’s always a plus.”