Derek Carr backup plans: 1 trade, 1 free agent and 1 pick for the Saints
By Josh Wilson
Derek Carr completely teased the New Orleans Saints with his 48-hour visit and leaves them needing backup plans. Here’s where they should look.
After Derek Carr led the New Orleans Saints on for two straight days visiting in New Orleans, it looks like he’s probably going to end up elsewhere this offseason. The Saints and Raiders had an agreement in principle on a trade to send Carr to New Orleans, but the quarterback’s no-trade clause gives him control over his destination.
Ultimately, Carr let the Raiders know he wouldn’t accept a trade to the Saints or any other team. It means he’ll be released and ultimately free to sign wherever he pleases.
While he still could land in New Orleans as a free agent, at this point it’s looking far less likely than it did a few days ago. New Orleans can’t sit around and grovel over this, though, because their top priority this offseason is finding a quarterback to help them win games.
Here’s what they can pivot toward.
One signing the Saints could pull off as backup plan to Derek Carr: Hendon Hooker
If the Saints look to fill the quarterback position in the draft, they’re going to need to do it with Hendon Hooker out of Tennessee. They simply don’t have the necessary assets to jump from 30th overall, where they sit now, to the top three in order to draft Bryce Young or CJ Stroud.
If the Saints get Hooker’s ceiling, it will be at an optimal position in the draft because a torn ACL this year will scare teams away from drafting him in the first round.
If they get his floor, though, and injuries prevent him from tapping into his potential, well, then, they’ll have reached with selecting him in his projected range.
Hooker will probably go somewhere in the 30-60 range. The Saints have a pick at 41, which will have been a bit too early to select him, but if they’re sold on his capabilities, they may need to reach for him with that pick.
Otherwise, they can try to package some later picks in the draft and move up.