The New Orleans Saints' quarterback drama continues to circle, and the silence is deafening.
Neither Derek Carr nor the team is yet to address reports that the veteran QB is mulling surgery for a shoulder issue, but Carr hasn't been completely silent. This week, with much of the team reporting for optional workouts, Carr and his brother, David, published the first of what appears to be a car review series. It was decision that rubbed former Saints LB Scott Shanle the wrong way, as he relayed this week on SportsTalk.
"It’s bad taste," Shanle said. "I don’t really think it’s coincidence that you choose that day to release your new YouTube car review special while your teammates are reporting and it’s a little, it’s passive-aggressive type stuff. ... You’re already kind of not in the best light with the fanbase. It’s probably not the best thing to do.”
One of the reasons the video stood out was that it was one of the first times Carr could be seen speaking publicly this offseason, and it was from the driver's seat of a Rolls Royce Spectre, an electric vehicle that retails at about $500,000. There are currently more than 300 comments on the video, a vast majority of whom are not there to discuss luxury automobiles.
The Saints QB was notably absent during Super Bowl week when a host of current and former players, including QB Spencer Rattler, were making the rounds and representing the team. Carr hasn't made any public comments regarding new head coach Kellen Moore, though he and GM Mickey Loomis have committed to Carr as QB publicly. Reports have indicated there was some contention this offseason, but the team opted to restructure his deal, ostensibly linking the 34-year-old with the team for at least one more season.
Upon spotting the video, Shanle sent out a scathing post on X regarding the video and the offseason saga at large.
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"I think [the timing of the video is] what kind of made my blood boil a little bit," Shanle said. "I probably don’t send out that tweet if I don’t see the YouTube video of the car review thing pop up. ... I think the other frustration for me is it’s been a rough couple of years, you fire Dennis Allen, you bring in a new head coach. There’s new life. There’s new energy in the fanbase and then this is dumped on everybody and I think it’s just a reminder of kind of all the BS the last couple of years and it’s just frustrating.”
However the scenario develops with the Saints and their veteran QB, they'll soon have to decide whether to bring in a signal-caller in next week's draft, as well as when to pull the trigger on such a move. They'll likely have options, with just Miami's Cam Ward believed to be a sure thing at the top of the draft. Opinions on Colorado's Shedeur Sanders have been split, but he'd likely have to fall past the Browns and Giants at picks 2 and 3 for the Saints to have a decision to make. Louisville's Tyler Shough, Texas' Quinn Ewers, Ohio State's Will Howard and Ole Miss's Jaxson Dart are all intriguing options that could be targeted later on in the draft.
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Shanle would endorse the Saints investing a premium asset at QB, something they've almost never done. The Saints have selected a quarterback in the second round or earlier since Archie Manning in 1971.
"There probably isn’t a Jayden Daniels in this draft, but you saw what he did for life with the Washington Commanders. He lifted all boats in the locker room, everybody believed they could win because of him," Shanle said, "so if one of these quarterbacks ends up sliding down and you have an opportunity to trade up a couple spots and go get him, go do it, because I think it’s time for the Saints to invest some draft capital in the quarterback.”