Saints Agrees to replace Derek Carr with Super Bowl-winning 10-time Pro Bowler in a two-year deal worth $38.7 million annually

Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers could be headed for a breakup this offseason. The veteran spent the 2024 season with the team and started in 11 games.

It was a mixed bag of results for Wilson and the Steelers. The quarterback threw for 2,482 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. However, the veteran struggled down the stretch and the Steelers lost their final five games, including the playoffs. Now, Wilson is headed for free agency and the team could pursue other options.

In an article predicting the land spots for each of the top free agents in 2025, Zack Cook of Sports Grid pick the New Orleans Saints for quarterback Russell Wilson.

Much talk has been had about Wilson possibly heading to Las Vegas to reunite with his old coach Pete Carroll. However, several teams need a quarterback this offseason, including the Saints, so competition could be fierce.

Regarding Wilson, Cook offered the following: 

“Russell Wilson’s future in the NFL is shrouded in uncertainty as he enters a pivotal stage of his career. The key question is whether he will remain in Pittsburgh or if the seasoned quarterback will be on the move to what would be the fourth stop in his illustrious journey through the league. Despite the doubts, Wilson maintains that he still has valuable contributions to make on the field. ”

Wilson certainly has an impressive pedigree. The quarterback has earned 10 Pro Bowl appearances and won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson has thrown for 46,135 yards and 350 touchdowns over his 13-year career.

The quarterback even made one of those Pro Bowl appearances in 2024, and there’s reason to believe the quarterback still has some gas left in the tank. Wilson has thrown for 4,000-plus yards in four separate seasons and was one of the league’s best dual-threat passers in his prime.

The Saints, meanwhile, could certainly use a new quarterback.

Derek Carr was serviceable when healthy in 2024, throwing for 2,145 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games. However, the Saints are in the league’s worst cap situation and could save $30 million by cutting Carr after June 1. The Saints also have a new head coach in Kellen Moore, who could want to bring in his own passer.

Spotrac projects Wilson to command a two-year deal worth $38.7 million annually. This would be a hard deal for the Saints to afford, but cutting Carr and some other pricey veterans could make it possible.

Saints Legend Drew Brees Shocking response to Burning question of whether or not he’ll coach New Orleans saints in the future

Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been one of the best signal-callers in NFL history, has dabbled in broadcast and has been quite the figure in the food industry scene between places like Walk-Ons and Smalls Sliders.

But one of the biggest questions surrounding his future, especially after his small stint at Purdue, is whether or not he will pursue a career in coaching in the future. For now, that does not seem like anything that will be on the immediate horizon. But, at the same time, Brees did not completely rule out the possibility.

“As far as specifically going into coaching, I probably wouldn’t be a college coach or an NFL coach, at this stage,” Brees said in an interview with RG.org. “But I would say that there is always some level of coaching or mentorship that is taking place (in my everyday life).”

Looking back at the time he spent as an assistant coach for Purdue’s bowl game a few years back, Brees seems to view that as just a little kind gesture he did to help out.

“I said to them, ‘While you’re going through this transition, if you need help for the bowl game, I am happy to do that,’” Brees recalled. “I felt like it would be fun to be with the team during the bowl season and kind of solidify confidence in that program at that time.”

When looking at coaching in general, Brees says he feels like he is ‘coaching’ essentially every day in some capacity or another.

“I love coaching. I love coaching my kids,” Brees said. “Indirectly, I am always coaching. Whether it be with young players who are coming up and asking for advice, or an NFL guy calling, I have those conversations all throughout the year.”

While it is still entirely possible that we could see Brees calling plays on the sideline someday, Saints fans will have to put their hopes away that such a thing happening in New Orleans soon is nothing more than a pipe dream.

BIG CHANGES EXPECTED: Saints Linked To ‘Five-Tool’ 1,212-Yard Big-Name Wide Receiver as HC Kellen Moore Shakes up Squad

The New Orleans Saints currently are slated to make their first selection in the upcoming National Football League Draft in April at No. 9.

New Orleans finished in last place in the NFC South at 5-12 last year. The Saints had a promising start to the campaign but injuries derailed the campaign. New Orleans now has Kellen Moore as the team’s new head coach and the team will be able to make add some high-end talent at No. 9 unless they make a trade.

But, who should they take? Pro Football Focus shared a mock draft simulator with every team’s most picked prospects and had Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III as the top fit for New Orleans.

“New Orleans Saints: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri,” Pro Football Focus said. “Burden is an ideal ‘five-tool,’ multi-sport athlete for the receiver position in the NFL. The first-round talent is as well-rounded as they come, with the ability to succeed at any receiver spot in any offense.”

Burden would be a dynamic pick-up for the Saints if he was available at No. 9. He racked up 1,212 receiving yards in 2023. He had 86 catches in just 13 games to go along with nine touchdown receptions. In 2024, he had 61 receptions in 12 games to go along with 676 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

The Saints could use another receiver this offseason and Burden would be a fantastic pickup. Hopefully, the Saints can bring him to town in the upcoming NFL Draft.

CONFIRMED: New Orleans Saint will release $150 million star and NOT TRADE HIM with Perfect Replacement Spotted

Quarterback Derek Carr may have played his last snap with the New Orleans Saints, as one prominent reporter believes the team will release him if they cannot find a trade partner. A second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Carr spent nine years with the Raiders before joining the Saints before the 2023 season. At the time, General Manager Mickey Loomis believed Carr could elevate the roster and bring the team back to the playoffs for the first time since Drew Brees called it a career.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as New Orleans missed the postseason in each of the past two seasons. While Carr wasn’t the biggest issue with either iteration of the Saints, he wasn’t good enough to justify his four-year, $150 million contract. The quarterback previously said he won’t take a pay cut, and the Saints are currently $47.1 million over the 2025 salary cap. NFL.com’s Matt Okada believes the Saints will release Derek Carr if they can’t find a trade partner, but acknowledges there could be some difficulties with that decision.

” Designating [Carr] as a post-June 1st cut nets $30 million in savings, with “only” $21.5 million in dead money, which is more manageable – then again, each team can only give that designation to two player per year and, like Carr, the Saints carrying the next highest cap charges (Cameron Jordan and Taysom Hill) would have to be designated post-June 1 cuts to generate meaningful savings in 2025.’

Also Read: Saints GM Mickey Loomis sends Shocking Message to HC Kellen Moore concerning QB Derek Carr’s future at the New Orleans Saint

NFL Network: Saints Could Release Derek Carr If No Trade Partner Emerges

The Saints have kicked the can down the road with an endless series of contract restructures and don’t have an easy way to dig themselves out of their current financial predicament. On paper, the Saints could release Derek Carr and save some cap space, but that would mean keeping either Cameron Jordan or Taysom Hill. Carr isn’t playing up to his contract, but he’s a much better player than Jordan and Hill. Perhaps the Saints will restructure Carr’s deal again or just accept a massive cap hit, but they’ll probably try to trade him.

Okada’s article adds New Orleans could save $11.3 million in cap space if they can trade Derek Carr. The veteran quarterback isn’t an elite player by any stretch of the imagination, but he is a reliable starter who could be an upgrade for a few franchises. Last year, Carr finished 14th in EPA/play and seventh in PFF grade despite playing in a subpar environment. Seeing as it’s a weak quarterback draft class, the following teams could send a late-round pick for his services.

Next Possible Destinations

The Pittsburgh Steelers need a quarterback in the worst way. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are free agents, and neither quarterback was good enough to turn this team into a legitimate contender in 2024. Steelers fans won’t be thrilled with the idea of going after another veteran, but given the team’s late draft capital and the weak quarterback class, Carr is probably the best option available. Even if he’s not good enough to win a Super Bowl, he should help the team get their first playoff win since 2016.

The New York Giants find themselves in a similar quarterback purgatory. The Daniel Jones Era is officially over, but Brian Daboll’s squad lacks an adequate Plan B. Perhaps Miami’s Cam Ward falls to the third-overall pick, but even if the Giants can get him, Daboll might not want to risk his job on an untested rookie. Derek Carr might not be the second coming of Tom Brady, but he should perform reasonably well with Malik Nabers if the Saints release or trade him.

HE IS UNTOUCHABLE HERE : Saints GM Mickey Loomis sends Shocking Message to HC Kellen Moore concerning QB Derek Carr’s future at the New Orleans Saint

The New Orleans Saints knew this would be an offseason filled with several major decisions, and the franchise got things started by deciding to hire Kellen Moore as the team’s next head coach. The offensive-minded coach came to New Orleans fresh off a Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles, and joined in on the decision making process with the franchise.

New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis addressed a host of topics during a 40-plus minute news conference Monday, to cap the 2024 season and answer general questions.

CONFIDENCE IN DEREK CARR

Loomis said he likes all three Saints quarterbacks on the roster, and said he has a “high level” of confidence in starter Derek Carr – who missed seven games due to various injuries. The Saints were 5-5 when Carr started and 0-7 when either Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener started.

“He did some really good things here, and has done some really good things here,” Loomis said. “If he had qualified, which I’m not sure that he did, his quarterback rating would be in the top 10, his interception rating would be in the top 10, his yards per attempt would be in the top 10 under some really tough circumstances.

“When you don’t have your top two receivers, and you don’t have that special weapon in Taysom Hill, and we don’t have the middle portion of our offensive line, and we have a rookie left tackle – there are some tough circumstances for a quarterback to have to deal with. So I think he’s done some really good things.”

CAP TALK
“I’m pretty comfortable with where we’re at (salary cap wise),” Loomis said. “I’m comfortably uncomfortable. It’s something we have to manage, and there’s a lot of teams that have to manage their cap that way. And some of the ones that don’t are going to have to at some point.

“I feel OK with where we’re at. I think we’re making progress from where we’ve been the last few years. So I’m feeling better about it.”

STAYING PUT AT SAINT
The 68-year-old Loomis said he has no intention or interest in retirement at present.

“I’ve got a passion for the sport, I’ve got a passion for the Saints, I’ve got a passion for all of it,” he said. “I feel like I’ve got all my faculties here. Nobody would ask me that question…if I wasn’t 68 they wouldn’t ask me the question.

“If I ever felt like my acumen or my ability to think and ability to do the things necessary in this job were waning, I’d be the first guy to say, ‘Hey, wait a minute.’ So, no, retirement is not on my mind. Getting back to the playoffs and winning football, that’s what’s on my mind.”

NOLA LOVE

He also expressed his appreciation of New Orleans and the passion that the Saints evoke.

“I have a love for the community, a love for New Orleans,” he said. “Wasn’t originally from here, but I like to tell people I’m from here now.

“I know how much the success of our team impacts our city. So I take it personal when we’re not successful. I think all of our guys take it personal. Being in New Orleans it kind of gets into your blood, it gets into your soul and so, not having a successful season is painful.

“I’m as determined as ever to, let’s get us back in the playoffs, let’s get us back on the right track here. And I think we can do it. I know I can do it. I know we can. It’s not a matter of ‘if.’ It’s, I know we can do it.”

CAMP TALK
No decision has been made as to where training camp will be held in 2025, though Loomis said he believes it will occur at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie.

“I’d say it’s likely that we’re going to have training camp here, but a decision hasn’t been made yet,” he said.