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The New Orleans Saints signed future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees in free agency prior to the 2007 NFL season.
From that point on, the Saints finished under .500 just five times in 15 seasons with Brees at the helm, and never worse than 7-9. Oh, and that includes a Super Bowl victory in 2010.
But Brees retired following the 2020 season and the years since haven’t exactly been kind to New Orleans.
The Saints went 9-8 in 2021 with jouneyman Andy Dalton leading the way at quarterback. But then Sean Payton left, and New Orleans went just 7-10 a season ago with head coach Dennis Allen and QB Jameis Winston.
And so the Saints went out in search of solution. They seem to have found one in the form of former Las Vegas Raiders signal caller Derek Carr.
Carr, a four-time Pro Bowler, signed a three-year, $121.5 million deal with New Orleans in free agency.
His new Saints teammates are already heaping praise on their new field general.
"I love him. I love him as a person. And he's a great leader on and off the field."
.@ChrisOlave_ is already fired up to play with Derek Carr. pic.twitter.com/NfP0GVNtxD
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) June 26, 2023
“Man, I love him. I love him as a person and he’s just a great leader on and off the field,” second-year wide receiver Chris Olave told Jim Rome. “That’s what you ask for as a receiver, especially a young receiver. He’s definitely helped me better my game and better myself. We all know what he can do on the field. But just him being there for me off the field and even on the field, I feel like that helped me a lot and is helping us build our chemistry.”
Olave, who caught 72 passes for 1,042 yards and four touchdowns in his rookie season, as praised Carr’s impact off the field.
“He carries himself the right way, on and off the field,” hesaid. “So, that’s something to look up to and as a leader, something to look at. And just studying success, the just the years he’s been in the league, he’s been one of the top quarterbacks. And as a person, he’s just a great person with a great family, and that rubs off on people.”
In a wide open NFC South, the New Orleans Saints might just be the team to beat in 2023.