For Saints fans, Derek Carr’s arrival once symbolized hope – a veteran QB poised to stabilize a franchise stuck in quarterback limbo. But after a rocky 2023 season filled with inconsistency and frustration, whispers of his potential exit grew louder. Now? Those rumors can be put to rest. The growing chatter now revolves around a veteran TE. So, what’s brewing in the city of New Orleans? 

Well, Saints fans, it looks like Derek Carr isn’t going anywhere after all. And after all the rumors and speculation, Kellen Moore and the team have kept Carr as their starting QB for the 2025 season. But there are a few tweaks in his contract so that the team could free up some salary cap space. As per a report by NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, the Saints QB will pocket his full $40 million this year with no pay cuts. But the team is converting most of his salary into a bonus to make the numbers work. You can say it’s a win-win for both sides. Derek gets his bag. And the Saints get some breathing room to build a team that could support him on the gridiron.

HC Kellen Moore and GM Mickey Loomis had made it clear at the Combine that they have a QB they can win with, suggesting they will be sticking with Derek. In his introductory press conference, Moore had stated, “Derek’s a tremendous quarterback in this league. I’ve had so much respect for him.” He had further expressed enthusiasm about working with Carr, mentioning, “I’m really excited to team up with him and go through this process.” The new Saints HC had also acknowledged their longstanding acquaintance, noting, “Derek and I played against each other one year. My senior year, his sophomore year. Yeah certainly, have known Derek for a long time.” Now that acquaintance is taking center stage.

Here is how the Saints could have reworked their QB’s contract. Before the restructure, Derek had a massive cap hit of $51.46 million, and New Orleans was $39.54 million over the salary cap. They have most likely used a ‘maximum restructure,’ which could have lowered Carr’s base salary to $1.26 million. Also, they are converting a large chunk of his salary into a signing bonus. The team has added his $10 million roster bonus into the mix. So, after all the restructuring, they have freed up around $31 million in cap space.

But, while Derek stays on the team, TE Juwan Johnson might be looking for a change.

Juwan Johnson’s uncertain future amid Saints’ Derek Carr decision

Saints TE Juwan Johnson is probably not feeling ‘appreciated’ and ‘at home.’ The 28-year-old is entering the free market as his two-year, $12 million contract comes to an end with New Orleans. Unless he gets a last minute offer from the Saints (which seems unlikely), Juwan can begin talks with new teams starting March 10. 

Juwan’s NFL journey started as an undrafted free agent with the Saints when Sean Payton was the HC of the team. The TE juggled between practice squads and the active roster for a year. In the 2021 season, he played in 14 games. Talking about playing under Coach Payton, the TE said at the NFL Honors, “It was great. He’s a coach that was very intentional. He was a coach that was very hard on you. As you see with videos of him and Russell. But that’s just how he is between the lines.“

Now that Johnson is hitting free agency, could he be dropping hints that he wants to play for Sean Payton again? Well, playing for him would mean heading to Denver. The Saints TE is linked with the Broncos, who are trying to build support around QB Bo Nix. And even if you can’t read between the lines in Juwan’s statements, he has mentioned the possibility of playing with the Broncos.

“I just want to be somewhere where I’m wanted and valued, and that’s my biggest thing. If it happens to be Denver, then it will be Denver. If it’s somewhere else, then it’s somewhere else.” So, Juwan seems all set to go from Caesars Superdome to the Mile High. And if not there, there will likely be no dearth of teams that would love to give the TE a shot.

So, where do you think Juwan will land? And who will the Saints bring in to replace him as Derek Carr’s new weapon on the field?