Saints' Updated Depth Chart After Derek Carr Signs Contract in Free Agency

The New Orleans Saints have their next quarterback.

Derek Carr agreed to a four-year contract with New Orleans on Monday, a deal Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported is worth $150 million.

Here is a look at what the offensive depth chart could look like with Carr under center:

New Orleans went 7-10 last season, which ended its streak of five straight years with a winning record. Part of the issue was the quarterback position, as Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston didn't exactly make up a list of Hall of Fame players in their prime.

Carr provides an immediate upgrade as someone with four Pro Bowls on his resume and plenty of starting experience with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders.

He threw for more than 4,000 yards in four straight seasons from 2018 through 2021 and has proven durable throughout his career by playing in 15 or more games every year.

Yet it is fair to worry about the ceiling Carr brings with a 63-79 record as a starter and zero playoff wins. He also saw his numbers drop off some in 2022 with 3,522 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 picks even though the Raiders added one of the best wide receivers in the league in Davante Adams.

Given the talent elsewhere on the Saints, though, they may have only needed him to raise the floor.

The defense was fifth in the league in yards allowed per game and ninth in points allowed per game. Alvin Kamara is a five-time Pro Bowler at running back, and wide receiver Chris Olave looks like a star in the making after putting up 1,042 receiving yards in his rookie campaign despite some middling quarterback play around him.

As long as Carr provides something of an upgrade at quarterback, there are enough pieces in place elsewhere to compete for a playoff spot in an NFC South that featured zero teams with winning records last year.