There's no question that Derek Carr provides a jolt of stability to a Saints franchise that desperately craves it.
But there is one big question the team still needs to answer following the splash report that the former Raiders QB had agreed to terms with New Orleans, as explained by Deuce McAllister as he joined Tommy Tucker on the WWL Radio morning show.
“He makes you a better football team today. The question is: Does that equate into wins?" McAllister said. "And you really don’t know that at this point."
Listen to the full conversation with Deuce in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.
The question is fair, considering some of the negative notes that can be brought along with Carr. One of those notes is a 63-79 career record, an NFL tenure that began under the watchful of then-Raiders coach Dennis Allen in 2014.
The Saints are willing to look past that number, which is fair considering the state of the Raiders in many of those seasons, to project expectations of an offensive resurgence with Carr at the helm. They've attempted to roll with Jameis Winston each of the past two seasons since the retirement of Drew Brees, but injuries have stopped those plans short each time. Andy Dalton started the final 14 games last season, playing well but not at the level the Saints needed to climb into the playoffs.
They view Carr as a piece to solidify that position. Now they must build around him and the reported 4-year, $150 million contract.
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"There’s still some other pieces that they have to put into this puzzle," McAllister continues. "I mean, this definitely helps the puzzle, but this puzzle is definitely not complete as far as looking into this upcoming season. There’s still some pieces that they need to add.”
Those pieces could include someone to bolster the interior line play, which has struggled with injuries the last several years. That's been particularly true for veteran Andrus Peat, who could be a cut candidate if the team chooses to go that route to help solve the cap questions the Carr signing will raise. And how about wide receiver? Michael Thomas reworked his deal and is likely to be cut at the start of the new league year, but will the Carr signing prompt him to return?
"It’s not a foregone conclusion that he will be released, totally," McAllister said. "But maybe this entices both parties to say ‘hey, look, maybe we can make this work one more time.’“
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