Derek Carr isn't working out at the NFL Combine this week, but he could have a big impact on just how closely the Saints are watching the QBs on the field.
Carr shipped out to Indianapolis this week where the NFL is descending this week to scout player ahead of the coming draft, and the primary goal is to be where the action is as he searches for a new team for the first time in his NFL career. He'll meet with at least three teams, according to a report from the NFL Network's Ian Rapaport.
Those teams include the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets, two teams that Carr has also visited, and the Carolina Panthers, who pick No. 9 but are expected to be in the market for a veteran with new head coach Frank Reich. Another team that could potentially be in the Derek Carr market is the Bucs, but GM Jason Licht indicated they are happy to go into the season with Kyle Trask as their top QB.
Should the Saints ultimately go the Carr route, it won't likely be cheap. Carr exercised his veto option to nix any potential trades despite holding a contract with $40 million guaranteed remaining. On the free agent market, reports indicate he'll be seeking a new deal that would pay in the range of $35 million annually. The Saints have the flexibility to clear significant space, but adding Carr would require even more tricky maneuvering than usual for a team that currently sits about $30 million over the cap after a handful of restructures to cut that figure in half from where it began.
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If Carr isn't the answer, the only QB currently under contract is Jameis Winston, who would be a complicated answer in his own right. He's due $12.8 million this season and could be brought back, something he made sound like he'd be open to in comments over the weekend, but he was bypassed on the depth chart by Andy Dalton midseason as he recovered from injury. Dalton is now a free agent, and could also represent a cost-effective short-term option. That'd be particularly true if the Saints opted for a QB in the upcoming draft, with players like Florida's Anthony Richardson, Stanford's Tanner McKee and Tennessee's Hendon Hooker all possibly being available and potentially attractive options for the Saints who hold picks at No. 29 and 40 in the upcoming draft.
The NFL Combine's workouts officially begin on Thursday, with quarterbacks taking the field on Saturday.
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