No Derek Carr trade doesn’t mean no Derek Carr for Saints

Even though quarterback Derek Carr vetoed a trade to the New Orleans Saints, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to join the team.

The 2022 NFL season is officially over after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl 57. Now, all eyes will be on where players will end up for next season, especially the quarterbacks. Derek Carr is expected to be let go by the Las Vegas Raiders due in part to he’s being guaranteed $40 million over the next two years on his current contract by Feb. 15.

Last week, Carr had visited the New Orleans Saints for two days, after the team received permission to speak to the quarterback by the Raiders. There was even a trade package agreed upon between both teams, but Carr reportedly vetoed the deal, as he has a no-trade clause in his contract. While it may seem like Carr is turning down a chance to play for the Saints, that’s not the case.

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport was asked if Carr was going to sign with the New York Jets as a free agent. Rapoport brought up the Saints, saying they have interest in Carr, and he is interested in them.

Derek Carr vetoing trade to Saints doesn’t mean he’s not interested in them

“I know the Saints are still interested, and he’s still interested in them,” said Rapoport. “Now, when he’s a free agent, he could potentially just negotiate his own new contract with the Saints, not have to worry about his old contract…”

With Carr vetoing the trade, he could let the clock wind down on the Raiders’ deadline set for Feb. 15, forcing them to release him from his current contract. With that, Carr would officially be a free agent and be able to speak to interested teams.

While turning down a trade to the Saints, it doesn’t mean that he has no interest in playing for them. There’s still a chance that Carr and the Saints can reach an agreement on a deal when he becomes a free agent.

The Saints starting quarterback for the majority of the 2022 season was Andy Dalton, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent. Jameis Winston is still under contract with the team, but he suffered a back injury early in the campaign, and ultimately was named backup to Dalton upon his return. Not to mention that the Saints have a late first-round pick (No. 29 overall) after trading head coach Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos, so that puts them out of the market for one of the top quarterback prospects like Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, or Will Levis.

Even with the trade turned down, Carr to the Saints shouldn’t be ruled out just yet.