Derek Carr is one of the premier free agent quarterbacks this offseason. For teams looking to add to that position, Carr is one of the stronger options, so he will likely have plenty of suitors once free agency officially begins.
It appears to currently be a three-horse race. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Carr has visits lined up with three teams, including two teams he has already visited with.
Rapoport tweeted:
“When QB Derek Carr arrives in Indianapolis today, he’ll have in-person free agent meetings with 3 teams: The Jets, the Saints, and the Panthers. He’s already visited New Orleans and NYJ, now he adds Carolina and maybe more. Coaches, GMs, owners all in the same spot this week.”
Rapoport stated that Carr has already met with the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets. The Carolina Panthers are new to the mix, but all three teams need a quarterback.
Which team is most likely to sign Derek Carr?
All three of those teams need a quarterback. Derek Carr, despite not having an excellent year in Las Vegas in 2022, is a pretty serviceable option. However, one of these teams is far more likely to sign him.
The Jets have been looking into every option at quarterback. They’ve reportedly been interested in trading for Aaron Rodgers and have been looking at Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Carr is probably their best option of the three. Garoppolo might struggle away from Kyle Shanahan and Rodgers would require an astronomical trade package and he has a massive contract.
The Saints could swing for Carr, but he probably doesn’t represent a big enough upgrade from a healthy Jameis Winston to worry invest in. Carr could be a one-year signing to try and compete while they have players like Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas signed to big deals. Whether Carr would be open to a one-year deal is another matter.
The Panthers are the least likely candidate here. They’ve been searching for a quarterback since the release of Cam Newton in 2019, which was perhaps an ill-advised move.
They’ve thrown everything at a few different veterans and it hasn’t worked, so they’re more inclined to draft one this time around. That’s especially true since they can get the top pick from the Chicago Bears.