Derek Carr’s Signing To The New Orleans Saints Brings Fresh Hope
The NFL season is officially underway and many teams have already made moves to strengthen their rosters for the upcoming season. One of the most significant acquisitions was that of veteran quarterback Derek Carr, who was released by the Las Vegas Raiders last season.
The New Orleans Saints signed Carr to a two-year $25 million deal, plus bonuses, and they saw this move as a major opportunity to upgrade their quarterback position. Carr is an experienced quarterback who can add a lot of experience and disciple to the Saints’ already strong offense.
Carr is coming off a season where he threw for 4,103 yards and third-best rating of 87.3. He also threw a career-high 33 touchdowns while completing 70.4 % of his passes. The 6’3″ gunslinger has a good arm, enough pocket presence, and knows how to win football games.
The Saints also picked up future Hall of Fame tight end, Jason Witten. Witten is an experienced and dependable target who can make tough catches when called upon. This signing further bolsters the Saints’ offense and Carr’s ability to spread the ball around.
The addition of Carr and the signing of Witten is part of an overall plan to upgrade the roster. The Saints also signed defensive linemen Emmanuel Sanders and Malcom Brown, strengthening their defense. With these new additions, the Saints are retooling for the upcoming season and are looking to make waves in the AFC South.
One of the best moves the Saints made this offseason though was bringing in Dennis Allen as their new Defensive Coordinator. Allen brings plenty of experience and knowledge to the Saints, as he was part of the Denver Broncos’ coaching staff when they won Super Bowl 50.
Allen has been credited for bringing a renewed energy and discipline to the Saints’ defense. He coached them to the best defensive performance in team history last season, which included allowing just 406.9 total yards per game, third-fewest in the NFL.
The impact that Allen has had on the Saints is evident. He has been instrumental in getting the best out of the talents on defense and has been behind some of the best defensive playcalling this team has seen in years. With a mix of youth and veteran players, this defense is still a force to be reckoned with.
The signing of Derek Carr and the emergence of Dennis Allen have seen the Saints become one of the most intriguing teams to watch during the 2021 season. With an explosive offense and an experienced defense, the Saints could very well be ready to make a run at the playoffs this year.
With the acquisitions of Carr and Witten, the Saints have put themselves in a position to make a long-awaited run in the playoffs. As for the heated exchange between players that was on display at one point, this has been put to rest with Dennis Allen taking over as defensive coordinator. He has installed a culture of discipline and respect, which will only benefit the team and help them reach their goal of making the playoffs.
The Saints are ready to make a deep run this season. With the amount of talent they possess and a strong defensive system in place, the team looks to be ready to make a statement this season. With the addition of Carr, Witten, Sanders, and Brown, it is clear that the Saints are serious about making a run to the postseason.