3 Instant Reactions to Derek Carr's Decision to Sign Saints Contract

Derek Carr has a new home.

The veteran quarterback signed a four-year deal with the New Orleans Saints on Monday. Per Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the deal is worth $150 million and includes $100 million in total guarantees.

Carr has had a fascinating offseason. He had something of a standoff with the Las Vegas Raiders after they benched him to close the 2022 season. The Raiders clearly had decided to move on, uninterested in paying him the $40 million in contract guarantees he would have been owed between the 2023-24 seasons if he was still on the roster after Feb. 15.

So the Raiders sought a potential trade, but the 31-year-old had the leverage of a no-trade clause and exercised it, preventing a deal. The Raiders, in turn, chose to release him, allowing him to pick his next destination in free agency.

That made him one of the most intriguing options on the market. The Saints swooped in, and the first major quarterback domino has fallen in what could be a chaotic offseason. Let's break down three instant reactions to Carr joining the Saints.

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Carr Is Important Upgrade for QB-Needy Saints

Carr will be a significant upgrade over the players who have manned the position in recent years, such as Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian and Ian Book.

Quarterback has been a major question mark for this team since Drew Brees retired in 2021. Carr is a very solid answer.

The four-time Pro Bowler didn't have his best season in 2022 but still threw for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, completing 60.8 percent of his passes and taking 27 sacks. The Raiders went just 6-9 in his starts, however, though there were more issues in Las Vegas than just the quarterback position. Carr immediately improves the Saints.

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Saints Are Now the Front-Runners in Weak NFC South

Tom Brady retired. The Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons still have major question marks at quarterback. None of these teams had a winning record last year, with the Bucs (8-9) narrowly claiming the division over the trio of their 7-10 rivals.

So the NFC South is wide-open. The fact that the Saints have addressed the most important position on the field gives them a leg up on the competition.

That could change, of course, if a player like Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson or even Geno Smith ends up in the division. But for now, the Saints are the front-runner.

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Expect Fireworks from Chris Olave in Sophomore Season After Carr's Addition

The Ohio State rookie wideout lit up the NFL in 2022, catching 72 passes for 1,042 yards and four touchdowns with Dalton, Winston and Hill throwing him passes. And now he has Carr, who has helped players like Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, Davante Adams and Darren Waller have big seasons under his watch.