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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Despite the underlying tone of competitiveness, at the end of the day, the NFL is a business. And the 2023 NFL offseason made sure to remind us of this time and again. Whether it was Lamar Jackson refusing to sign an underwhelming contract with the Ravens, or Aaron Rodgers seeking a move away from the Green Bay Packers, allegiances have been questioned time and again. And one elite QB even wound up being released.

Derek Carr was the Oakland Raiders’ second-round pick in the 2014 Draft. While Carr failed to lead the Raiders to a Super Bowl appearance, the QB1 made his impact by receiving four Pro Bowl honors during his career. Yet the Raiders lost their trust in Carr, and soon left him hanging. With Carr having found a haven in New Orleans, the 4x Pro Bowler appreciates the new outlook while remaining tight-lipped on the past.

Derek Carr is all in with the Saints

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Derek Carr’s departure from the Las Vegas Raiders wasn’t exactly a relationship that ended well. The Raiders were looking at every possible opportunity to trade Carr, but the QB1 had a no-trade clause in his contract. Additionally, the Raiders receiving incentives was equally questionable, so they just terminated his time with the franchise.

Read More: Days After Tom Brady Confirms Raiders Move, Jon Gruden Returns to NFL Despite a Problematic Past Led to a Disgraceful Exit

However, Carr was allowed to talk to one team throughout the entire saga, and that team pulled through for him in the end. The New Orleans Saints were in deep negotiations with the Raiders for a potential acquisition of Carr. Saints’ Head Coach Dennis Allen even made it clear that Carr was their number one priority, and maybe it was confidence that allowed the 4x Pro Bowler to find a new landing spot. Since then, Carr has been nothing but appreciative of the Saints but the same cannot be said for the Raiders. According to recent reports, New Orleans feels like a “breath of fresh air” and the QB1 feels “rejuvenated“.

Despite these claims, Carr has refrained from speaking on the Raiders ‘experience and it is quite understandable if he does harbor some resentment towards the franchise. Let’s face it, Carr gave Las Vegas the best years of his life, and yet the treatment that he received toward the end of this run just makes one realize the cutthroat nature of the NFL.

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Are the Saints contenders?

The New Orleans Saints are putting all their eggs in Derek Carr’s basket. The Saints and their aggressive approach to acquiring Carr, made the former Raiders’ QB1 feel wanted and eventually, the Saints secured themselves an elite quarterback. Yet, questions around the Saints’ ceiling still linger and somehow Carr might be the key to success. According to Fox Bet, the Saints were given +4000 odds to win it all. However, those numbers have improved by a thousand since Carr joined the ranks.

via Imago

With Carr at the helm, former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has also made an appearance in New Orleans to help out with the offense and work on Carr’s improvement.

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