Mike Garafolo: Saints are set to make a decision on Derek Carr within the next few weeks; likely to have multiple suitors if released (81 Viewers)

[Ti Rider]

Carr is not the third best QB in Saints history. I’m not even a Carr hater but cmon

He isn’t. Maybe top ten but not third. I’m not exactly a Carr supporter but not a hater either. I’d put Bobby Herbert, Jim Everett, and Jeff Blake all ahead of Carr on the Saints All Time Great QBs list.

 

[Covington Saint]

Maybe top ten but not third. I’m not exactly a Carr supporter but not a hater either. I’d put Bobby Herbert, Jim Everett, and Jeff Blake all ahead of Carr on the Saints All Time Great QBs list.

i mean, serious conversations can't be had when comments like this are made.

 

[Rexman100]

I wouldn’t have blamed the FO for encouraging Rizzi to sit Carr even if he could play. His $30m base in 2025 is guaranteed for injury, putting us into a similar situation compared to the Raiders when they were considering whether to move on.

It did seem that way. It also seemed like we were wanting to get an extended look at Rattler considering that we were already out of it.

 

[Elvis]

Carr would be fine if the rest of your team is really good. It's not. Carr would be fine if his cap number was less than $30 million. It's not. Carr would be fine if he was a perfect fit for the team and a great leader. He's not. Carr would be fine if he was on the upside of his career and hadn't yet reached his ceiling. He isn't.

We are about to begin a new era of Saints football. One where a lot of roster turnover is inevitable. "Continuity" is gone. We only have a small amount of players that are young enough or good enough to build around. Carr is not one of those players. His contract is an obstacle when it comes to rebuilding the roster for the new era.

So of course a decision on Carr is coming in the coming weeks. He has a $30m salary that becomes fully guaranteed on March 15th along with a $10m roster bonus for 2025 and $11.5m cap charge for his prorated bonuses. That's a $51m cap number. The team doesn't want to pay that new money. Some of us have been saying for a long time that he isn't the future here. He's already drawn his line in the sand, unprompted, that he's not taking a pay cut. So, the decision isn't whether to build around him. It's whether to let him go, convince him to waive his no trade clause and trade him or to nurse his cap number with as little restructure as the team can get away with and cut him next year.

The writing is on the wall. We are either facing the end of the Carr era in March or at least the final year of it. And even if he has one more year, he'll be the lame duck QB. A decision could be made at any time to pull him like the Raiders did to prevent his injury guarantee from triggering. We don't want that scenario. It's not a good look for the Saints any more than it was for the Raiders.

 

[TeenAgeWasteland]

If they moved on from Carr this year, it would destroy an already bad cap situation.

Ain't gonna happen, he's here at least one more year.

I think it would help with the cap.

 

[Elvis]

If they moved on from Carr this year, it would destroy an already bad cap situation.

Ain't gonna happen, he's here at least one more year.

I have already explained here why it really isn't the case that moving on would destroy the cap. It would delay available cap space ($42 million) until June 1st, but that doesn't prohibit the team from agreeing to contracts to be signed after June 1st. And it also helps 2026.

 

[JRead2]

I have already explained here why it really isn't the case that moving on would destroy the cap. It would delay available cap space ($42 million) until June 1st, but that doesn't prohibit the team from agreeing to contracts to be signed after June 1st. And it also helps 2026.

I accept what you say about us being able to move on from Carr without destroying the cap. Here is what I would like to know:

1. If we stay with Carr for the 2025 season, without a restructure, what would be his cap hit for 2025 and 2026?
2. If we cut Carr, what would be his cap hit for 2025 and 2026?

 

[St. Widge]

The issues is to move on from Carr (if cut) would very much screw 25-26 season because we would have no room left for any FA moves. But if we cut him our cap next year is good and 27 season is really good.

We gonna have to bite the bullet, period.

We haven't been a player in free agency, outside of Carr himself, for several years anyway. And we weren't likely to be a player in free agency this year. At most we would sign one mid-level guy and some low priced guys. Eliminating the one mid-level guy this year isn't really going to change the result of the season.

For this team to get better, they need to draft better. Free agency is no way to build a team. It's only leads to "cap hell" and the inability to sign your own good young players.

 

[St. Widge]

Carr is not the third best QB in Saints history. I’m not even a Carr hater but cmon

I'm far from a Carr lover, but I think an argument could be made for him to be #3 behind Brees and Brooks. It's not exactly a great list of players we are talking about. In fact, it's a pretty poor history.

I guess maybe you move Hebert ahead of Carr because of the playoff appearances, but if you gave Carr the same team he probably does as good and maybe better than Hebert. Everette I'd probably give you that he is better than Carr. Manning who really knows. He played in a completely different era and with a terrible team but lets give him the benefit of the doubt and say he is better.

So, where does that put Carr? Maybe around 6 with an argument that he could be as high as 3?

 

[Rexman100]

Says who? I've not read or heard anyone, other than some posters here, say that Carr sat out games when he was cleared to play.

Please provide a link to the credible source that Carr chose to not play in games after getting cleared to play by the medical staff and coaches.

Do you also think Kamara didn't play in the last games of the season to avoid injury?

there is no proof. But there is common sense. Throughout his career hes played with injuries much worse that a non throwing hand injury.

 

[Elvis]

I accept what you say about us being able to move on from Carr without destroying the cap. Here is what I would like to know:

1. If we stay with Carr for the 2025 season, without a restructure, what would be his cap hit for 2025 and 2026?
2. If we cut Carr, what would be his cap hit for 2025 and 2026?

For #1, it is impossible to leave his contract the way it is. His cap hits right now are $51.4m in 2025 and $61.4m in 2026.

For #2 there are a couple of different scenarios:

• One is to cut him outright which would save $1.3m in 2025 while taking a $50m cap hit. This clears 2026 entirely. This method wouldn't leave any room to even sign draft picks and is the least likely. If he signed for another team and we'd recoup up to $10m in cap space if he was paid that much between bonus and salary because of offset language in his contract.
• Another is to designate him a June 1 cut which would force us to carry his entire 2025 cap hit of $51.4m until June. But once June comes we'd be able to split his cap number between $21.4m in 2025 and $30m in 2026. This is the best option we have because it gives us some room this year and while it increases our cap liability in 2026, we have more room to absorb it next year. The same $10m offset applies to this option.
• Third, is to trade him if he agreed to waive his no trade clause. If his contract was left untouched, we'd be on the hook for $40m in 2025, but nothing in 2026.

 

[St. Widge]

there is no proof. But there is common sense. Throughout his career hes played with injuries much worse that a non throwing hand injury.

All of the reports were that the injury he had was not the type of injury you can play with. He literally could not take snaps which means he could not play.

 

[Taker597]

• Third, is to trade him if he agreed to waive his no trade clause. If his contract was left untouched, we'd be on the hook for $40m in 2025, but nothing in 2026.

Carr got a no trade clause.... On earth... Why!?

 

[Elvis]

Carr got a no trade clause.... On earth... Why!?

He had one with the Raiders too. Not to start another Loomis thing, but he got worked over by Carr's agent on that deal.

 

[Ghost]

This goes back to the argument in that huge thread bashing on Carr. The W-L stat is not on the QB but somehow some people want to pin it on them.

Carr had a terrible record overall on the Raiders, but the defensive rankings were literally never higher than 22nd his entire career. The D was mostly ranked 25th-32nd every single year. Some games they scored 35 points but the defense would give up 40, and the moronic fans would blame Carr and the offense for losing.

It appears from reading your comments that Carr isn’t to blame for anything that happens to him, either on the Saints or the Raiders.

As honestly as you can: what if anything is Carr responsible for?