Should the New Orleans Saints really make a trade for Derek Carr? The franchise is approaching a crossroads where their core of talent is getting long in the tooth, and it might make more sense to start selling off assets and rebuild for the future.
On the other hand, they could do what they’ve done for years and go for broke in hopes of winning a weak division’s title — and then advancing through a soft NFC playoff field that appears to run just two-deep with Super Bowl contenders in the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. The Dallas and Minnesota Vikings are paper tigers until proven otherwise. With better help and quarterback play, it’s not impossible to see the Saints elbowing into that crowd.
Acquiring an established quarterback like Carr would certainly help keep them competitive. Here’s the case from NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, who acknowledges this is just how the Saints do business:
“Andy Dalton is a free agent, and it’s hard to imagine New Orleans bringing back Jameis Winston. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that the Raiders have granted the Saints permission to host Carr on a visit, and the pairing would make sense because New Orleans is an old team that needs to win in order to keep the front office and coaching staff employed. The Saints are also way over the salary cap, but that’s just another day in the life of general manager Mickey Loomis.
In theory, this feels like the moment for New Orleans to finally reset by making hard decisions and/or considering trades of veterans like Cameron Jordan and Alvin Kamara. But that’s just not the Saints’ style, and Carr feels like the best option among a set of imperfect half-measures.”
It would be better if the Saints could land Carr without trading anything, but time isn’t on their side. There’s a good chance that they could be outbid if he hits the free agent market next week and can entertain offers from multiple teams. If they’re compelling to act aggressively and get their guy as soon as possible, trading with Las Vegas is their best path forward. We’ll see how this one shakes out.