The Derek Carr era has not necessarily gone particularly well for the New Orleans Saints as the team is currently 7-8 with their playoff hopes swiftly fading. And the bad news is, the team seems pretty locked into keeping Carr next season – or at least paying him a huge chunk of cash.
As league insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out, Derek Carr is already guaranteed $30 million from the team, and that number could quickly climb to $10 million.
“They’re already on the hook for $40 million, as a practical matter. Carr’s contract pays out a $30 million salary in 2024, all of which is fully guaranteed. Another $10 million due in 2025 becomes fully guaranteed in March 2024. The Saints can avoid the extra $10 million only by cutting Carr before the payment vests,” Florio wrote for Pro Football Talk on Friday.
“Would they pay him $30 million to go away, in order to avoid owing another $10 million? Probably not. But if a coaching change is coming (Saints fans periodically clamor for one), a new coach might be willing to take the hit — especially since an offset obligation would apply to the 2024 salary.”
Obviously, this is pretty horrible news for the Saints as it seemingly locks them into a quarterback who hasn’t necessarily performed all that well this season, and the NFL world had a lot to say about it on social media.
I’d be shocked. Doing so would mean DA admitting Carr isn’t good and he’s desperately tied himself to Carr from the moment he signed. He knows if he admits he was wrong on Carr, he’s likely canned. All about job security to him. https://t.co/Wqzck40Ypx
— #NoMusicNoIntro (#FireDennisAllen) (@askmetostay323) December 22, 2023
I'd just keep him starter and build the lines. I've watched 15 games of daints. Derek carr isn't the SOLUTION. But hr ain't the problem. Saints fans are trying to take the easy way out and think a rookie qb is gonna come in and fix everything when no rookie can succeed here https://t.co/0WD2d0e83O
— Freaking about Football (@FreakyPeezy) December 22, 2023
Since entering the NFL in 2014, Derek Carr has
– TWO winning seasons as a starter
– Career 17 games under .500
– One 30 TD pass seasonYet, the Saints felt compelled to hand him $100 million in guaranteed money.
What has Carr EVER done to make you think he can be the guy? https://t.co/UOJAdyLlkT
— Brian Drake (@DrakeFantasy) December 22, 2023
Best thing Mcdaniels and Ziegler did was getting rid of him… https://t.co/X3xo7EQAwQ
— MVP (@sparks1404) December 22, 2023
Yeah all the "Get rid of Carr" talk stops right here.
The Saints already have a salary cap disaster to contend with going into 2024 as it is. Cutting Carr and eating a minimum of $30M against the cap is a non-starter.
Carr is your QB next year, like it or not. https://t.co/WnTNLIokkz
— Stert (@BigTunaStu) December 22, 2023
His contract is so nasty. Like I have them in a franchise in Madden. They have so many nasty contracts for aging players. Like you have to restructure that deal. https://t.co/0WOg9C04VO
— Switchblade Laney White (@PrinceLaney) December 22, 2023
It’s clearly not a great situation for the team.
