One day after the Commanders sent the NFL in a tizzy by trading for New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, the reaction from the players on the current roster was one of admiration for the front office for making the bold move.

The Saints sent Lattimore, a 4-time Pro Bowler, to the Commanders along with a 2025 fifth round pick in exchange for a 2025 third round pick, 2025 fourth round pick and 2025 fifth round pick.

The Commanders are 7-2 and in first place in the NFC East Division — their best start to a regular season since 1996.

“We want to win, and we want to win now,” Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner told ESPN’s John Keim on November 6. “It was cool for them to do that.”

Lattimore might not be available for the Commanders right away, as he’s nursing a hamstring injury that kept him out of the Saints’ loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 9.

The Commanders return to action in Week 10 against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, followed by a Thursday Night Football road game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11 then back-to-back home games against the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans before a bye in Week 14.

Lattimore One of NFL’s Top Trade Targets

Both the Commanders and Lattimore were listed as “winners” at the NFL trade deadline by Bleach Report’s Maurice Moton on November 6.

Lattimore Elite CB For Most of Last Decade

Lattimore was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2017 and made his first Pro Bowl that same season with a career-high interceptions in just 13 games. It was the first of 4 Pro Bowl nods for Lattimore, who has 15 career interceptions through his first 7 seasons.

Injuries have been an issue for Lattimore in recent years. He missed 10 games with a lacerated kidney in 2022 and missed 7 games with an ankle injury in 7 games.

Once he’s healthy, Lattimore becomes a plug-and-play CB1 starter for the Commanders opposite fourth-year cornerback Benjamin St.-Juste, a third round pick out of Minnesota in 2021.

For all the talk that’s come to pass about the Commanders needing to improve their defense, they’ve been pretty good through the first half of the season. They’re 14th in the NFL in team defense and fifth in passing defense headed into Week 10.

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Even the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won 3 Super Bowls in the last 5 seasons, are constantly making moves. When you put that in perspective, the Washington Commanders need to be buyers as we approach the NFL trade deadline on November 5.

If they’re buying, the priorities need to be at cornerback and wide receiver. And if it’s going to be a cornerback, the player they should make a move for is New Orleans Saints cornerback and 4-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore.

The Saints should be eager sellers at the deadline after hitting rock bottom in a Week 9 loss to the Carolina Panthers in which Lattimore sat out with a pulled hamstring and saw the Saints’ record drop to 2-7.

If the Commanders think they can win now — as in win a Super Bowl right now — then Lattimore is a deft move. And with a 7-2 record and off to their best start since 1996, why not?

“Cornerback Marshon Lattimore, however, continues to be a magnet for trade chatter in league circles,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on November 2. “His contract runs through 2026. Trading him would trigger a $20.63 million cap charge for 2025, but it would clear $16 million in cash from the books. (His cap number for 2025 is $31.4 million.) At a 2024 base salary of $1.21 million, trading for Lattimore would not require his new team to devote much cap space to the acquisition. The challenge becomes 2025 and beyond.”

Lattimore One of NFL’s Elite CBs Since 2017

Lattimore has been one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks since the Saints drafted him with the No. 11 overall pick out of Ohio State in 2017.

He was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2017 and made his first Pro Bowl with a career-high 5 interceptions in just 13 games. It was the first of 4 Pro Bowl nods for Lattimore, who has 15 career interceptions through his first 7 seasons.

In September 2021, Lattimore cashed in with a whopping, 5-year, $97.6 million contract extension that runs through 2026.

Injuries have been an issue for Lattimore in recent years. He missed 10 games with a lacerated kidney in 2022 and missed 7 games with an ankle injury in 7 games.

Commanders Don’t Have Elite CB on Roster

The failures for the Commanders at cornerback seem to tie directly back to the last head coaching and front office regime, which selected Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Forbes has struggled to even be a serviceable backup through his first 2 seasons and was the only active player on the Commanders roster to not log a snap in a Week 9 win over the New York Giants, according to The Athletic’s Ben Standig.

Still, the Commanders defense hasn’t been that bad. They’re 14th in the NFL in team defense and fifth in passing defense headed into Week 10.

“You don’t get to complain about the Commanders defense,” NFL insider Kevin Clark said on the “This is Football Podcast With Kevin Clark” on November 4. “Things are going good. You just don’t.”

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New Orleans didn’t have a winning season or a playoff berth until 1987. Things got so bad that fans began wearing paper bags over their heads during games, earning the team the derisive nickname “Aints.” The Saints finally got over the playoff hump in 2000, and have managed to stay relatively competitive since, winning their first Super Bowl after the 2009 season.

Through it all, New Orleans has had some memorable quarterback play. While several of the team’s former signal-callers didn’t have stellar supporting casts, many still managed to leave a lasting impression. We took a shot at ranking the 10 best QBs in franchise history, which wasn’t always easy considering the team’s early struggles. Our choices are below. Read on to see who we picked.

*Note: All awards and stats listed below are from each player’s tenure with the Saints only. All stats/awards are from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise stated.

10. Derek Carr

GettyQuarterback Derek Carr of the New Orleans Saints.

• Years as a Saint: 2023-present
• Iconic performance: Week 17 of the 2023 regular season, Carr threw for 264 yards and 4 TDs in a 48-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

In his first season with the Saints in 2023, Derek Carr started all 17 games, demonstrating his durability despite facing some injuries, including a shoulder issue early in the season. He completed 375 of 548 passes for 3,878 yards, with 25 touchdowns and only 8 INTs, achieving a passer rating of 97.7. Carr became the third player in NFL history (alongside Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson) to record 300 completions in each of his first 10 seasons, and while his time in New Orleans is only just beginning, we thought he showed enough to warrant a mention here.

9. Steve Walsh

GettyEx-Saints QB Steve Walsh.

• Years as a Saint: 1990-1991, 1993
• Iconic performance: October 14, 1990 vs. the Cleveland Browns, Walsh threw for 243 yards and 3 TDs in a 25-20 win.

Initially, Walsh impressed, helping the Saints reach the playoffs for only the second time in franchise history by finishing the 1990 season with an 8-8 record. He was passed up by Bobby Hebert (more on him later) as the team’s starter after that season. Overall, Walsh didn’t have big numbers, but his 3,879 passing yards is good enough for 9th place on the team’s all time passing yards list, and he had a winning record as a starter with New Orleans (10-9). That makes him a solid candidate for the No. 9 slot.

8. Taysom Hill

GettyTaysom Hill of the New Orleans Saints.

• Years as a Saint: 2017-present
• Iconic performance: Week 5 of the 2022 regular season, Hill had himself a game, rushing 9 times for 112 yards and 3 TDs, also throwing a 22-yard TD pass in the Saints’ 39-32 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Known for his versatility as a dual-threat QB and utility player, Taysom Hill has filled multiple roles for the Saints, including several starts at quarterback. As a passer, Hill has completed 191 of 298 attempts for 2,348 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions over 100 games as of 2024. As a rusher, Hill has excelled, accumulating 2,236 yards on 412 carries (5.4 yards per carry) with 29 rushing touchdowns. Hill has also contributed as a receiver, with 37 receptions for 454 yards and 7 touchdowns throughout his career. That versatility earns him our No. 8 spot.

7. Ken Stabler

GettyQuarterback Ken (The Snake) Stabler finished his career with the New Orleans Saints.

• Years as a Saint: 1982–1984
• Awards:
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Iconic performance: December 11, 1983, Stabler led the Saints to a 20-17 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles in overtime.

The Hall of Fame QB finished his legendary career with the Saints, and while he didn’t put up big numbers, Ken Stabler’s presence alone elevated the team in the early 1980s. He threw for 3,670 yards (10th on the team’s all-time list). His touchdown-to-interception ratio wasn’t great (17 TDs, 33 INTs), but he didn’t have a strong supporting cast around him, either. Still, Stabler led the NFL in game-winning drives in 1983 (4), so he still had a flair for dramatic comebacks even in his final years as a signal-caller. Plus, his legend alone earns him a spot here.

6. Billy Kilmer

Wikimedia CommonsBilly Kilmer, 1959.

• Years as a Saint: (1967–1970)
• Iconic performance: November 2, 1969 on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals, Kilmer went 22-32 for 345 yards and 6 touchdown passes in a 51-42 win.

Billy Kilmer was the franchise’s first starting quarterback after being selected in the 1967 expansion draft from the San Francisco 49ers, and he provided much-needed leadership during the team’s early years. While with New Orleans, Kilmer passed for 7,490 yards (still 6th all time in franchise history) and 47 touchdowns (also 6th). He wasn’t a prototypical passer by modern standards, but he played fearlessly, often taking hard hits before getting right back up. His time in New Orleans coincided with the team’s struggles as an expansion franchise, but he was regarded as an important leader in the history of the franchise.

5. Jim Everett

GettyEx-Saints quarterback Jim Everett.

• Years as a Saint: 1994-1996
• Iconic performance: Christmas Eve, 1994 on the road against the Denver Broncos, Everett completed 23-of-27 passing attempts for 343 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 30-28 win.

Former quarterback Jim Everett provided at least some stability at quarterback for the Saints in the mid-1990s. He played just three seasons in New Orleans, but he threw for over 3,800 yards in two of them, and he did enough to crack the team’s top 5 in several significant passing categories. He currently ranks 5th in franchise history in passing yards (10,622) and 5th in passing TDs (60). Despite some solid individual performances, his time with the Saints was marked by the team’s overall struggles and failure to make the playoffs, but he was still effective while there.

4. Bobby Hebert

GettyEx-Saints QB Bobby Hebert.

• Years as a Saint: 1985–1992
• Iconic performance: October 18, 1992, against the then-Phoenix Cardinals, Hebert threw for 355 yards and 3 TDs in New Orleans’ 30-21 win.

Known as “The Cajun Cannon,” Hebert guided the Saints to their first-ever playoff appearance in 1987, marking a turning point for the franchise. Although Hebert wasn’t known for being the fastest or most accurate of QBs, his resilience and toughness earned him respect on the field. He was seen as a natural leader who could be counted on in crucial moments. His 14,630 passing yards and 85 TDs both rank 4th on the team’s all-time passing leaders list, and his impressive 49–26 record as a starter earns Hebert the No. 4 spot.

3. Aaron Brooks

GettyEx-Saints QB Aaron Brooks.

• Years as a Saint: 2000-2005
• Iconic performance: December 14, 2003 at home against the New York Giants, Brooks went 26-of-35 for 296 yards and 5 TDs in a dominant 45-7 Saints win.

Aaron Brooks’ tenure with New Orleans remains a memorable one, as he led the Saints to their first-ever playoff victory in 2000. This win, a 31-28 victory over the St. Louis Rams, was monumental for the team, who had been waiting for a postseason victory since their inception in 1967. At the time of his departure, Brooks ranked among the top Saints quarterbacks in nearly every major passing category. As of his final season (2005), he was 3rd in Saints history with 19,156 passing yards and 2nd with 120 touchdown passes.

2. Archie Manning

GettyNew Orleans Saints legend Archie Manning.

• Years as a Saint: 1971-1975, 1977-1982
• Awards:
  • 2-time Pro Bowl selection (1978, 1979)
• Iconic performance: December 7th, 1980 against the 49ers, Manning threw for 377 yards and 3 TDs in a 38-35 loss.

Although the Saints never posted a winning season during his tenure (1971-1982), Archie Manning’s presence gave the team credibility. His leadership and performance, despite the lack of talent around him, earned him the respect of both his teammates and fans. Over his 11 seasons with the Saints, Manning passed for 21,734 yards (2nd in team history), 115 TDs (3rd in team history) and 156 INTs. Frequently praised for his toughness and ability to stay in games despite poor protection, Manning was beloved by the fan base for his gritty, hard-nosed style of play. He remains one of the most iconic players in the franchise’s early history.

1. Drew Brees

GettyEx-QB Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.

• Years as a Saint: 2006–2020
• Championships & awards:
  • Super Bowl champion (2009)
  • Super Bowl MVP (2009)
  • 2-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2008, 2011)
  • Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2006)
  • First-team All-Pro (2006)
  • 4-time second-team All-Pro (2008, 2009, 2011, 2018)
  • 12-time Pro Bowl selection (2006, 2008–2014, 2016–2019)
  • Art Rooney Award (2018)
  • NFLPA Alan Page Community Award (2012)
  • Bart Starr Award (2011)
  • Bert Bell Award (2009)
• Iconic performance: Week 1 of the 2009 regular season, Brees kicked things off with a 358-yard, 6-TD performance in New Orleans’ 45-27 victory over the Detroit Lions.

There’s absolutely no other choice for this spot. Drew Brees is by far the most iconic QB in Saints history. He led the team to its first Super Bowl victory in 2009 and holds numerous franchise records, including career passing yards (68,010, 1st), TD passes (491, 1st) and wins (142–86 record, 1st). Brees led the NFL in passing yardage seven different times, and he led the league in TD tosses four different times. He’s also currently 2nd in passing yards on the NFL’s all-time list. His kind of elite play comes around once in a franchise’s lifetime if a team is lucky. And the Saints lucked out when they got Brees.

The list isn’t over yet! See our pick for Number 11 HERE. Sound off to let us know who we missed!

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That the Broncos are doing so with a rookie quarterback learning on the job in Bo Nix and an offense devoid of any elite weapons — outside of the offensive line — is even more remarkable.

Considering those factors, it might be smart for the Broncos to consider targeting a player to help out said offense as we approach the November 5 NFL trade deadline, with ESPN’s Seth Walder suggesting they should target talented New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson.

“Denver has been playing Adam Trautman  and Lucas Krull at tight end, with Greg Dulcich being a healthy scratch the past few games,” Walder wrote. “Johnson, who is in the last year of his contract, would be an upgrade. He has averaged 1.3 yards per route run over the past three seasons and had a 65 open score last season in ESPN’s receiver scores, fourth best among tight ends.”

It’s also a move that would fall within the parameters of the Broncos’ conservative approach to most of its roster until former quarterback Russell Wilson’s 5-year, $245 million contract comes off the books following the 2025 season — Johnson is in the final season of a 2-year, $12 million contract extension he signed in 2023.

That means, at the most, Johnson would cost them approximately $3 million down the stretch for 2024 and might be able to come their way in exchange for one of their underperforming tight ends and/or a late-round draft pick.

Broncos’ Tight Ends Have Been Non-Factor in 2024

Where the Broncos have truly lacked production in 2024 has been at the tight end position, where the trio of Lucas Krull, Adam Trautman and Greg Dulcich have a combined 13 receptions for 117 receiving yards and no touchdowns through 7 games.

Dulcich might be the most attractive trade bait for the Saints, as he’s been a healthy scratch the last 3 games and only has 5 receptions for 28 yards in 2024.

Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski thought Dulcich could be a “breakout star” for the Broncos headed into the 2024 season.

“(Dulcich) dealt with hamstring issues throughout his first two seasons,” Sobleski wrote on August 17. “However, he appears healthy now, which means he can add a completely different dynamic to the Broncos offense … With Jerry Jeudy, Denver’s second-leading receiver last season, no longer with the squad, his 87 targets will go elsewhere. Those shouldn’t necessarily be picked up by the free-agent addition of Josh Reynolds. Instead, Dulcich has a much greater chance to create an impact after the catch.”

That hasn’t happened. And that’s despite Dulcich showing some flashes of potential in 2022, when he had 33 receptions for 411 yards and  2 touchdowns in 10 games as a rookie.

Saints Likely Sellers Ahead of NFL Trade Deadline

The Saints have been in a free fall since starting the season 2-0, having lost 5 consecutive games since then and playing without starting quarterback Derek Carr. With a possible lame-duck head coach in Dennis Allen, that might make them sellers ahead of the trade deadline.

While Johnson dealt with injury issues before the season — he had foot surgery in June — he’s played in all all 7 games for the Saints in 2024 but only has 15 receptions for 136 yards and 1 touchdown. Over the previous 2 seasons, Johnson had 79 receptions for 876 yards and 11 touchdowns with no fumbles.

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The Washington Commanders have a unique opportunity to create that type of storyline and fill a crucial need on its roster by making a trade for New Orleans Saints edge rusher Chase Young ahead of the November 5 NFL trade deadline.

Young was the No. 2 overall pick by the Commanders in the 2020 NFL draft and was the 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year before injuries took his career off the rails and he was eventually traded to the San Francisco 49ers midway through the 2023 season.

Young signed a 1-year, $13 million contract with the Saints in March 2024.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox put Young on his list of the top NFL trade targets ahead of Week 8 after the Saints lost their fifth consecutive game and dropped to 2-5 following a 33-10 loss to the Denver Broncos.

“Trading pass-rusher Chase Young, who is on a one-year, $13 million deal, would provide no 2025 cap relief,” Knox wrote. “However, it would net the Saints some valuable draft capital. Young has tallied 1.5 sacks and 13 quarterback pressures in seven games this season.”

Trade Loophole Could Allow For Young’s Return

The knee-jerk reaction to any trade proposal that brings Young back to Washington would probably be that it violates the NFL’s rules on players being re-acquired via trade. Those rules essentially ban any team for trading a player then re-acquiring him via trade for 2 years — the specifics of which were shared by the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on his official X account on September 30.

However, the wording of the NFL’s trade rules might contain a loophole — a technicality, if you will — that might allow for Young’s return to the Commanders via trade.

All of the language banning teams from re-acquiring a player via trade for two years uses the terms “assignor club” which in this case, is the Commanders, in relation to “assignee club, any club beyond the assignee club, or combination thereof” which in this case is the 49ers and, presumably, the Saints.

For Young, while the “assignor club” would have been the Commanders in the case of his trade to the 49ers, you can make an argument that the “assignor club” tag no longer applies to the Commanders because Young became an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season, which was the final year of the 4-year, $37.5 million rookie contract he signed with the Commanders in 2020.

From that purview, Young no longer has an “assignor club” because once he became an unrestricted free agent he also became the de facto “assignor club” because he and he alone was making the decision on where he would play in 2024 and all ties to the original “assignor club” had been severed.

The bottom line is once he became a free agent, the NFL’s rules on re-acquiring players via trade should have no longer applied to Young.

Young Never Fulfilled Early Promise in Washington

Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder listed edge rusher as one of the biggest weaknesses for the Commanders headed into Week 8 and with Washington sitting atop the NFC East with a 5-2 record.

Young was actually part of Washington’s last playoff team in 2020, when they lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Round — the same year he was named NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year and made his only Pro Bowl.

Following a torn ACL suffered in Week 10 of the 2021 regular season, Young missed 22 of the next 25 regular-season games, including all but 3 games in 2022 and had just 1.5 sacks in 2021 and 2022.

Since leaving the Commanders, Young revamped his career in 2023 with 7.5 sacks — matching the total from his rookie season — and even had a sack for the 49ers in an overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.

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In the place of injured NFL All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the Broncos will likely turn to a group approach at the New Orleans Saints that includes Levi Wallace,  Ja’Quan McMillian and possibly Damarri Mathis coming back off the injured reserve.

Surtain suffered a concussion on the first defensive play of a Week 6 home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and was ruled out for the Saints game. Fortunately for the Broncos, the Saints could be without their top 2 wide receivers in Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) and have a rookie quarterback making just his second career start in Spencer Rattler.

The trip to face the Saints in the Week 7 Thursday Night Football matchup marks the first return of Denver head coach Sean Payton to the city where he was the head coach for 16 seasons and led the team to 9 playoff appearances and a win in Super Bowl XLIV.

“Surtain’s absence also meant players had to step into new roles,” wrote The Denver Post’s Ryan McFadden on October 16. “Ja’Quan McMillian had to split time at nickel — his primary position — and outside cornerback. McMillian usually only gets a couple of practice reps at outside cornerback over the course of a week, so it took him some time to get comfortable.”

Surtain One of NFL’s Few ‘Elite’ Players

Surtain became the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history in September, when he signed a 4-year, $96 million contract extension last month. The contract included $77 million in guaranteed money.

Since the start of the 2024 regular season, Surtain has shown why he’s worth every penny and has the Broncos’ signature play of the season on either side of the ball — a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in a win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5.

It was the second-longest interception return for a touchdown in team history behind Aqib Talib’s 103-yard return against the Dallas Cowboys in 2017. The Raiders had a 10-0. lead before the Broncos reeled off 34 unanswered points.

Surtain was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft after leading Alabama to a College Football Playoff national championship and earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2020. Through his first 3 seasons, Surtain is a 2-time Pro Bowler and earned NFL All-Pro honors in 2022.

Surtain hasn’t missed a game since the final week of his rookie season — a streak of 40 consecutive games.

Group Approach Might Work for Broncos With Moss

The group approach might work for the Broncos with the trio — possibly duo — of cornerbacks.

A big reason it might work is the play of Denver’s other starting cornerback, second-year player Riley Moss, who is having a breakout season.

Sports Illustrated’s Chad Evans called Moss “one of the NFL’s best young cornerbacks” after the win over the Raiders in which the former Iowa star recorded his first career interception. Moss is second on the Broncos with 39 tackles and is tied for Surtain for the team lead with 5 pass deflections.

“There’s no question that Moss is having himself a year,” Evans wrote. “The 2023 third-round draft pick out of Iowa is in his first year as a starter, and the early returns have been near-on spectacular. In tandem with Surtain’s production, the Broncos are giddy. In the Broncos’ 34-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Moss was pivotal. He had two passes defensed and notched the first interception of his career, as the Broncos smothered the Raiders’ two quarterbacks. Between Moss and Surtain, the Broncos’ cornerback duo totaled three interceptions.”

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That’s what will happen when the Buccaneers travel to face the New Orleans Saints in a Week 6 NFC South Division showdown on October 13 and rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler makes his first career start.

Rattler will be filling in for injured starter Derek Carr, who hurt his oblique in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5. Against the Chiefs, the Saints turned to second-year quarterback Jake Haener when Carr went down.

“We just internally talked a lot about it and felt like in this particular game, that (Rattler) was going to give us the best chance to win,” Allen told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. “Both him and Jake both have been practicing extremely hard, preparing to be the starter. It was kind of the conversation that we had at the beginning of the year that Jake would be the No. 2 to start … It was really basically going to be kind of a week-to-week deal and we just felt like this was, for this game, going to give us the best option.”

Rattler’s Career Has Been Heavily Scrutinized

Few quarterbacks in the NFL can claim to have been under the microscope like Rattler has — dating back to when he was featured on the Netflix documentary series “QB1: Beyond the Lights” as a senior at Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2018.

Rattler’s turn on the show was memorable for the wrong reasons; a clip of him trying to bully one of his teammates went viral and he was ultimately suspended from the team for an undisclosed violation of the school district’s code of conduct policy but lied about having an MCL sprain as the reason why he was sitting out.

The No. 1 pro-style quarterback in the nation coming out of high school, Rattler backed up Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as a true freshman at Oklahoma in 2019 and led the Sooners to the Big 12 championship and was named All-Big 12 as a sophomore in 2020.

In 2021, Rattler was benched in the second quarter against Texas after his second interception of the game in favor of freshman Caleb Williams, a future Heisman Trophy winner and 2024 No. 1 overall pick. Williams rallied the Sooners from a 35-17 deficit to a 55-48 victory and Rattler never returned to the lineup.

Rattler transferred to South Carolina, where he went 13-12 in 2 seasons as a starter in 2023 before the Saints selected him in the fifth round (No. 150 overall) of the 2024 NFL draft.

Secondary Struggles Highlighted for Buccaneers

Tampa Bay’s struggles in the secondary were on full display in a 36-30 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5 as quarterback Kirk Cousins set a franchise record with 509 passing yards and 4 touchdowns.

The key for the Buccaneers getting back on track will likely be the return of NFL All-Pro free safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who has been missing since a Week 1 win over the Washington Commanders with a foot injury.

Winfield returned to practice on Wednesday, October 9, but was limited and his return to face the Saints still remains in doubt.

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While Las Vegas may have some regret about letting Carr go, the Saints could also have some regret for giving him a $150 million contract last offseason. In fact, his leash in New Orleans may be shorter than expected. According to Bleacher Report’s Brag Gagnon, Carr is on notice this season.

“I’ve been doing this long enough to know not to overreact to action from the second half of a Week 1 preseason game, but I at least want to see more of Spencer Rattler,” Gagnon wrote in an August 16 column. “If the rookie fifth-round pick can keep flashing, the Saints seriously need to consider a short leash on Derek Carr in what is likely a make-or-break season.”

It won’t be easy to move on from Carr as he has a $50 million dead cap hit next year. He also has a no-trade clause. The Saints need the quarterback work or they may have to eat a lot of money.

New Orleans Saints Urged to Rebuild

The Saints have a strong roster filled with talented and expensive veterans. The team went 9-8 last season and there’s no reason they shouldn’t improve in 2024. However, head coach Dennis Allen has a 24-46 record so there’s little reason to be confident in him. Carr has only played in one playoff game in his career and lost.

Matt Holder of Bleacher Report isn’t confident in the Saints and believes that should enter a rebuild.

“Over the last three seasons, New Orleans has finished with nine, seven and nine wins, no NFC South Championships and no playoff appearances,” Holder wrote in an August 25 column. “So, is continuing to move money around and restructure contracts while the roster gets older and the team doesn’t even make the postseason worth it?

“… It’s time for New Orleans to shed some bad contracts and get younger, and that starts with having a high pick in the 2025 NFL draft.”

It’s highly unlikely the Saints embrace a rebuild this season but they may have no choice next year if they struggled in 2024.

Can New Orleans Saints Make the Playoffs in 2024?

Last year was a prime year for the Saints to get back to the playoffs. The NFC South was the weakest division in the NFL but the team just didn’t win enough games. Now, the NFC South is tougher. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are confident in Baker Mayfield at quarterback while the Atlanta Falcons have had a big offseason that included adding quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The path to the playoffs will be much more difficult for the Saints. With Allen as their head coach, it’s hard to see them going very far. He has yet to lead a team to the playoffs in six seasons as a head coach. Carr is a good quarterback but he’s not good enough to overcome lackluster coaching. It seems more likely the Saints miss the playoffs this year than they go on a run.

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If the Broncos want to jump start their offense and ignite their rebuilding efforts, one move would be to leverage that glut of talent and get good value for at least one of those running backs via trade.

In this case, that would mean reuniting Denver head coach Sean Payton with one of his prized pupils by trading for New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara.

Kamara, a 2-time NFL All-Pro and 5-time Pro Bowler, is currently in the middle of a contract dispute with the Saints, where he has two years remaining on a 5-year, $75 million contract extension he signed in Sept. 2020 but is seeking a restructured deal. He’s due to make $11.8 million in 2024 but his salary for 2025 — $25 million — makes his exit all but certain after the season.

The Broncos could create a trade package that sends last season’s leading rusher, Javonte Williams, to New Orleans along with a 2025 6th-round draft pick obtained from the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2023 trade.

The Broncos, in turn, could sign Kamara to a contract along the lines of the 2-year, $16 million contract the Baltimore Ravens signed Derrick Henry to before the 2024 season.

Breaking Down Kamara’s Value in Current Market

Outside of San Francisco 49ers running back and 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, the market for NFL running backs is in a downturn.

Kamara signed his current deal in a time when running backs hadn’t seen their value plummet like it has in the last few years. According to Spotrac, Kamara’s current market value is $7.7 million — in line with the deals recently signed by Henry and Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.

One look at Kamara’s production shows he still has high-level value and could very well be the missing component that helps other parts of Denver’s offense snap into place. Namely, by being a safety net for rookie quarterback Bo Nix and taking pressure off of downfield targets like wide receiver Courtland Sutton.

In 2023, Kamara had 1,160 yards of total offense — 694 rushing yards and 466 receiving yards — and 6 touchdowns. He did that despite missing 4 games, with 3 of those coming from a suspension after violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Williams, by comparison, had 1,002 yards of total offense and 5 touchdowns while playing in 16 games. Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder has already posited that Williams should be on the trading block at some point in 2024.

“While Williams, a second-round selection out of North Carolina remains RB1 in Denver, the talent behind him has become overwhelmingly obvious,” Holder wrote. “And when teams continue to add talent at position that was initially looked at as set for the future, it raises eyebrows. Williams is still just 24 years old, but the emergence of Jaleel McLaughlin and selection of Audric Estime (fifth round in 2024) could make Williams an expendable asset. Veteran Samaje Perine and 2024 UDFA Blake Watson also remain on the roster as notable names.”

Kamara, Payton Were Electric Combo With Saints

Kamara’s offensive output in 2023 represented a career low in total offense but continued a streak dating back to his rookie year in 2017 which has seen him pass 1,1oo yards of total offense for 7 consecutive seasons.

The combination of Kamara and Payton seemed almost unstoppable at times in New Orleans. Under Payton, Kamara earned both of his All-Pro selections and all 5 of his Pro Bowl nods, including being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2017.

In 5 seasons with Payton as his coach, Kamara had 3 seasons over 1,500 yards of total offense and 2 seasons of over 1,300 yards of total offense and averaged 13.2 touchdowns per season over that stretch.

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A restructure of Carr’s contract this offseason pushed forward some of his owed money ($100 million of his four years and $150 million is guaranteed), cutting down the team’s salary cap number and effectively tying him to the organization for 2024 and 2025. But in the NFL, there is always a way out.

And if things fall flat in New Orleans with an improved division ahead—Tampa will be no worse, and the Falcons and Panthers will be better—the Saints could find themselves willing to eat some of Carr’s money and move on. Especially if a certain star Cowboys quarterback hits the market: Dak Prescott, whom the Saints have previously had interest in acquiring.

At the contract website Spotrac, the Saints are among the teams that are considered suitors for Prescott next offseason.

At the “Spotrac Podcast” this week, contract expert Mike Ginnitti highlighted the Saints-Prescott connection: “The Saints are going to move on from Derek Carr after this season, that’s a great candidate. That was a connection the last time this contract stuff came up.”

Saints’ Derek Carr Under Pressure in 2024

Of course, there are a lot of “ifs” involved in the potential pursuit of Prescott by the Saints. Again, there is reason to believe the team has a chance to win the division, especially with its performance in the last five weeks of 2023.

The schedule is not difficult—based on projected win totals, the NFL analysis site Sharp Football projects the Saints to have the fifth-easiest slate in the league. Much will depend on how quickly the offense picks up the schemes of new coordinator Klint Kubiak, who was hired away from the 49ers to replace Pete Carmichael after the Saints kept Carmichael in the wake of Sean Payton’s departure.

Carr has worked hard this offseason to acclimate to Kubiak’s system, clearly understanding that he’s nearing his last chance to stick with the team going forward.

“I can’t say enough good things about Carr,” Kubiak said, via GulfLive.com. “From the way he studies, to the type of professional he is. He’s very coachable, he’s hard on himself, he’s hard on his teammates, he’s got the demeanor you want.”

Many Teams Could Go After Dak Prescott in 2025

Still, the Prescott possibility would have to intrigue the Saints id Carr proves he is not up to the job. But that requires a big “if” too—namely, if they Cowboys let Prescott walk without giving him a new contract.

It is increasingly looking as though Prescott will hit free agency in March, when his four-year, $160 million deal runs up. He has little incentive to sign now.

“I feel like (agents are) calling him and being like, ‘Dude, don’t even pick up the phone anymore, March 12 is happening—you gotta let this go to free agency, you gotta get nine offers, you gotta let this happen,’” Ginnitti said. “That’s the real way to maximize everything he is doing right now. He’s done everything else right—the no-tags, the voids, everything else is on his side. To not go to free agency now would be a travesty, in my opinion.”

If free agency happens, the Saints would have to beat out a slew of others teams, including the Cowboys, but also the likely the Raiders, Giants, Seahawks and more. Another big “if.” But it’s possible New Orleans will at least be in that mix.

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Though his first general manager job went up in flames, he appears to still be a respected football mind around the NFL. According to a July 23 X post from Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, Ziegler has landed a job as a personnel advisor for the New Orleans Saints.

Back in February, it was reported by CBS Sports that Ziegler was brought on as an advisor for the Saints ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. The fact that he’s landed a full-time gig shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.

Mickey Loomis is one of the most respected general managers in the NFL so he’s a good person for Zielger to learn from. Raiders owner Davis said himself that Ziegler was inexperienced prior to firing him. Perhaps all he needs is to get some more experience away from the New England Patriots. The Raiders didn’t give him much time to work out the kinks but he could still have a bright future.

Dave Ziegler Reunites With Derek Carr

The most notable thing about Ziegler going to the Saints is the fact that he’s reuniting with quarterback Derek Carr. It’s no secret that the divorce between Carr and the Raiders was a bit tense. Ziegler was the person who ultimately released Carr from his job as the Raiders starting quarterback for nine years.

Now, as a personnel advisor, it’s unlikely that Ziegler will have a ton of face time with active players like Carr. It’s also likely that the quarterback has moved on. He’s spoken highly of Zielger and previously made it clear that he doesn’t think he’s a bad person. It’s hard to imagine Carr will have too many thoughts on the situation.

Loomis is the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to personnel for the Saints so his thoughts on Carr are the only ones that matter.

Will Dave Ziegler Be a General Manager Again?

When the Raiders fired Mike Mayock as general manager after the 2021 season, he seemed to walk away from the NFL. He also doesn’t appear to have much interest in trying to get back into an NFL front office. Ziegler, on the other hand, is jumping right back in.

Some of his moves with the Raiders were very questionable. Paying Darren Waller and Carr just to trade and cut them a year later was a bad look. Using the No. 7 pick on Tyree Wilson just for him to be completely ineffective as a rookie didn’t help. There’s also the Jimmy Garoppolo signing, which may have been the worst signing of last offseason.

However, Ziegler did have some moves that looked good in hindsight. Robert Spillane and Marcus Epps were excellent free agent signings. He was also able to give Maxx Crosby a contract extension that was very reasonable. Ziegler only had a year and a half in a general manager role so his reputation likely isn’t tarnished enough to keep him from getting another chance at some point.

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However, Carr nearly went in a different direction. The quarterback admitted that he was strongly considering the New York Jets and had a chance to sign with them.

“I could’ve [signed with the Jets],” Carr said on the July 16 episode of “Pardon My Take.” “It just wasn’t the right time for me. There was still like four or five teams I had to hear from.”

The Jets ended up trading for Aaron Rodgers, which put them out of the running for Carr. It’s entirely possible that he could’ve chosen New York over the Saints had they not made that trade for Rodgers. The Jets may have been better off as Rodgers missed 16 games last season with a torn Achilles injury.

Carr has been inconsistent in his career but he would’ve been an upgrade over Zach Wilson and Trevor Siemian. The team went 7-10 with bad quarterback play. If they could’ve at least gotten average quarterback play from Carr, they may have been a playoff team last season.

Derek Carr Wasn’t Concerned About Money

Carr had some leverage in free agency last year. He was coming off a bad season with the Raiders but above-average starting quarterbacks are hard to come by. He ended up signing a contract with the Saints that pays him $37.5 million a season, which has him tied as the 15th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL.

Carr isn’t concerned about money and he thought that would make him more appealing to the Jets than Rodgers.

“The thing which was different in that situation was like Aaron is a nine billion-time MVP, right? But you still have to trade for him, whereas I’m free, and you can still keep those picks,” Carr said. “I was not asking for as much money as whatever they say your market is. I was like, ‘I don’t want to do that, because wherever I go, man, I just want to win. So use the money. I don’t care.’”

Rodgers adjusted his contract for the Jets so his annual salary is actually exactly the same as Carr’s.

Derek Carr a Big Fan of Robert Saleh

A major reason why Carr was considering the Jets was due to head coach Robert Saleh. He was an assistant for the Houston Texans when David Carr was there so Derek Carr was very familiar with the coach.

Even though Carr is a Saint, he still has a lot of respect for Saleh.

“I am probably like [Saleh’s] biggest fan,” Carr said. “Like I absolutely 10 out of 10 would run through a wall for him even if he’s not my coach. If he was like ‘I need you to do this,’ yes, sir, I would do it. That whole situation, that was the hardest thing.”

Saleh is certainly on the hot seat entering 2024. He hasn’t made the playoffs or had a winning record in three seasons as a head coach.

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Carr’s now with the New Orleans Saints and has moved on from any negative feelings about the team. He recently had a lot of kind words for owner Mark Davis.

“I’ll tell you this: Mark has been and will always be – he’s been so good to me,” Carr said during the July 16 episode of “Pardon My Take.” “He is like the biggest critic of his football team. But at the same time, nobody loves him more. And so, yeah, sure there’s times where he’s probably super frustrated with me: ‘Why didn’t we do this?’ But he just wants to understand because he didn’t come from that football coaching background.

“And so, he just wants to understand the ‘why.’ And so, as he keeps surrounding himself — think about Tom’s [Brady] there now in the ownership and [Richard] Seymour may join and all of that — as he keeps surrounding himself with football people and all of that and understanding the process and that, I think that they’ll have more success.”

Carr is still the Raiders’ all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns so he’ll be connected to the franchise for a long time.

Derek Carr Looking Forward to Playing Las Vegas for the 1st Time

The only NFL team Carr hasn’t played against is the Raiders. That’s going to change during the 2024 season. The Raiders and Saints face off in New Orleans in Week 17. Carr isn’t nervous about the game and is very much looking forward to it.

“Oh I can’t wait, it’s going to be awesome,” Carr said at the ACC Golf Championship, per a July 11 video from Vegas Sports Today. “It’s going to be so weird seeing all of my friends on the other team.”

Fortunately for Carr, he’ll have the home-field advantage and won’t have to worry about dealing with Raiders fans. Regardless, it should be a highly emotional game for both sides as many of his former teammates still play for Las Vegas.

Could Derek Carr Come Back to Las Vegas Raiders?

Hindsight is 20/20 and the Raiders have to feel a little built of regret for letting Carr go. They replaced him with Jimmy Garoppolo and that turned out to be a disaster as he was released this offseason. Carr had his issues with the Raiders. The team only made the playoffs twice in his nine years and never won a playoff game.

However, the Raiders’ quarterback situation is in the worst position it has been in years. Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew are solid players but not as good as Carr. The former Pro Bowl quarterback had a tough first season in New Orleans and it’s possible the team could want to move on if they miss the playoffs again.

That would open up the door for a potential Raiders reunion for Carr. It’s still highly unlikely but he could be a solid bridge quarterback for the team while they try to develop a young rookie.

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The veteran safety played six games for the Raiders last season but was cut in November after being arrested for driving under the influence. He’ll now be reuniting with some former teammates in New Orleans, most notably quarterback Derek Carr.

Since Carr joined the Saints, several former Raiders have joined the team, including Johnathan Abram and Foster Moreau. Teamer has only started 11 games in his career and he’s more for a special teams ace. With the NFL instituting a new kickoff rule that is more advantageous for kick returners, there could be added importance of having top special teams players.

Teamer has always been a very good special teams player, which will help him make the regular season roster. He’s taken 539 special teams snaps in his career so he’ll provide a lot of experience in that aspect of the game.

Las Vegas Raiders Urged to Add CB

The Raiders have been surprisingly relaxed when it has come to adding cornerback help this offseason. It was considered one of the team’s biggest needs heading into the offseason but they haven’t added any notable names to the group.

Matt Holder of Bleacher Report believes that’s an issue and that the team still needs to upgrade their cornerback room.

“The Las Vegas Raiders have a major question mark at corner as Jack Jones projects to be the defense’s top player at the position,” Holder wrote in a June 20 column. “Jones finished last season strong but only has five NFL starts to his name, and the team’s other expected starter is Jakorian Bennett, who is also young and got benched as a rookie.

“With such an inexperienced group overall, the Raiders could use a veteran presence and upgrade in talent at cornerback heading into the fall.”

The Raiders clearly like what they’re seeing from their young cornerbacks but it would be a big risk not to add a bit more experience.

Which Veteran CB Could Las Vegas Raiders Target?

The Raiders haven’t practiced with pads on yet so once training camp begins, the team will have a better idea of how their cornerbacks are performing. Notable free agents like Stephon Gilmore, Xavien Howard and Adoree’ Jackson haven’t signed anywhere yet and could be waiting to see what things open up during training camp.

For that reason, there’s no rush for the Raiders to make a move. In a perfect world, the young cornerbacks step up and play well. The team has players like Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson under contract for multiple years. Having them develop would be preferable to adding a one-year rental like Gilmore.

That said, the AFC is loaded with so much great quarterback talent right now that not having strong cornerback play could be a death sentence. The Raiders should have an elite defensive line in 2024 so that makes life easier for the secondary but it’s hard to get after a quarterback if his wide receivers are always open.

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At least one team thinks that he’s still a strong talent evaluator and is bringing him in. According to a February 26 X post from CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, Ziegler is getting hired in an advisory role with the New Orleans Saints.

Based on Jones’ report, it sounds like it’ll just be a temporary role for Zielger over the next two months while he continues to search for a full-time gig. Saints executive vice president/general manager Mickey Loomis is one of the top general managers in the NFL but the team hasn’t drafted a Pro Bowler in the first round since 2017.

Ziegler has likely already done a lot of work on the 2024 NFL Draft class from his time with the Raiders so he could have valuable insight for the Saints. Ziegler wasn’t in Las Vegas long enough to know for sure whether or not he was a good general manager but taking a step back with the Saints could be what he needs to rebuild his image.

Derek Carr & Dave Ziegler Have a History

One person who may have an opinion on Dave Ziegler joining the Saints would be quarterback Derek Carr. He was the Raiders’ starting quarterback for nine years until Ziegler cut him from the roster.

Carr wasn’t happy with how the situation was handled but didn’t say anything negative about Ziegler.

“I’ve got no hard feelings for them,” Carr said in 2023, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Maybe there’s a difference of opinion in certain things, but that’s in anything. … I want Josh [McDaniels] and Dave to have success.”

Now, Carr likely didn’t expect to be working in the same building as Ziegler just a little over a year after he cut him. He’s always been a consistent professional so it’s hard to imagine he’d try to stop the hiring. Ziegler is only expected to be with the team for a couple of months so he may not even have much interaction with Carr.

Derek Carr Restructures Contract

Derek Carr’s first season with the Saints was a disappointment. The team didn’t make it to the playoffs despite playing in the worst division in the NFL. However, it looks like New Orleans plans to keep the quarterback for the foreseeable future.

According to ESPN, the Saints restricted Carr’s contract to open up some salary cap space.

“The New Orleans Saints are restructuring quarterback Derek Carr’s contract in a move that is expected to give the team around $23 million in salary cap relief, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Friday,” ESPN wrote in a February 23 column.

“Carr was due $30 million in base salary for the 2024 season, so converting a large portion of that into a signing bonus can help the Saints, who need to free up millions via restructures.”

The Saints are kicking a lot of money down the road but they’re clearly committed to trying to build a winning team in 2024.

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Carr, now with the New Orleans Saints, had wanted to spend his whole career with the Raiders and didn’t take the news of his benching and eventual release well. Carr didn’t play well during the 2022 season but it’s clear that the team wasn’t coached well as McDaniels was fired just eight games into the 2023 season.

While Carr could feel like he got the last laugh following, the quarterback took the high road.

“I didn’t need to say anything,” Carr said of the news of McDaniels and Zielger getting fired on the February 2 episode of the “Two G’s in a Pod” podcast. “Things played out the way they played out and we only went 9-8. Yeah, we had a winning record, but we didn’t make the playoffs. So, at the end of the day, who am I to say anything?

“My heart actually felt for [Josh] because I knew his kids and knew his family. I know what it’s like to get released … that crap sucks. … So I felt for Dave and I felt for Josh because one-on-one when you’re with them, they’re not bad people. They’re trying their best. They’re doing their best to do what they think is right … and I get all that. It’s a business. I really didn’t have a feeling of ‘I told you’ or any of that kind of stuff.”

Carr was vindicated as the Raiders were plagued by poor quarterback play in 2023 but it looks like he’s not going to dwell on the past.

Derek Carr Shares How He Reacted to Getting Benched

The Raiders were 6-9 at the time of Derek Carr’s benching during the 2022 season. He wasn’t playing particularly well and the team wanted to give Jarrett Stidham a look. Carr was honest and revealed that he didn’t take the news well.

“I sat there with a pretty dumbfounded face and I said ‘I didn’t think nine years of work would end like this’ and they both said ‘Well, no. We don’t want it to end.’ And I was like ‘No, I think we’re past that,’” Carr said.

“I told Josh [McDaniels] when I was in there. I said ‘Thank you. I appreciate it, guys.’ I think a lot of things, but thank goodness I can keep them in sometimes. In that moment I [didn’t] want to hurt any relationships. I [didn’t] want to say something stupid. You never know what the future holds…”

It was fair to bench Carr considering his poor play last season but the Raiders went about it in a way he clearly wasn’t happy with.

Was Cutting Derek Carr a Mistake?

The Raiders decided to replace Derek Carr with Jimmy Garoppolo, who was benched shortly after Josh McDaniels was fired. Garoppolo will likely get cut this offseason. In hindsight, the Raiders likely would’ve been better off if they kept Carr but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t the right decision at the time to make a change.

The Raiders had reached their ceiling with Carr. While the plan to replace Carr wasn’t well thought out, it was the correct move to move on and not pay him the big money he was due.

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That includes one of his teammates. Wide receiver Michael Thomas hasn’t broken 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2019 and is blaming Carr for not being able to reach the milestone in 2023.

“Well if I didn’t get set up by a bad ball I probably would’ve had a light little 1k yards this year but could of should of I know, I get it lol,” Thomas wrote in a now-deleted January 28 X post. “On top of that they wasn’t even trying to get me the ball but it’s no denying my style of play it don’t age playa you will see.”

Thomas hurt his knee in the Week 11 game against the Minnesota Vikings and didn’t play the rest of the season. It appears he thinks it’s Carr’s fault that he suffered the injury. Thomas did delete the posts but it’s likely they will make their way to Carr. This could be a situation to watch for the Saints.

Should Michael Thomas Get Cut?

Michael Thomas signed a five-year contract in 2019 but hasn’t been the same player since an ankle injury he suffered during the 2020 season. He only has one more year left on his contract and the Saints could feel like it’s time to move on.

That said, he would have an $18.1 million dead cap hit if he’s released. That’s much bigger than the $10.2 million cap hit he’ll have if he stays on the roster. This is a tough position for New Orleans. Thomas clearly isn’t happy with the offense and is taking shots at his quarterback on X.

He also doesn’t make up for the headaches he causes anymore with his play on the field. It’s unlikely a team will trade for him due to his age (30) and injury history. The Saints could eat that money and move on but there’s a chance Thomas will still be on the team next season.

Will Derek Carr & New Orleans Saints Reach Playoffs in 2024?

Derek Carr spent nine years with the Raiders and only made the playoffs twice. His move to the Saints was supposed to make it easier to get to the playoffs. While he did have a winning record for just the third time in his career, it wasn’t good enough to get to the playoffs.

The Saints signed Carr to big a contract in hopes that he’d be the missing piece for a good roster to get to the playoffs. That wasn’t the case in Year 1 but everybody should be feeling the heat in 2024.

The NFC South is the worst division in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers had the NFL’s worst record this season, the Atlanta Falcons are undergoing a coaching change and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost their offensive coordinator and Baker Mayfield isn’t under contract. Everything is lining up well for the Saints to win the division next season and if they don’t, head coach Dennis Allen could lose his job, which would make Carr’s future uncertain.

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It wasn’t a perfect reunion because the Saints missed the playoffs after posting a 9-8 record, but Carr’s numbers — 25 touchdowns to just 8 interceptions — were solid. However, some fans were frustrated with him throughout the season, and he was the subject of boos.

Though he’s played only season with the team for one season and has at least one more season left on his four-year deal, Carr is already on the hot seat, according to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox.

“It would be unfair to say that Carr’s ‘just good enough’ play cost Carmichael his job, but it certainly didn’t help,” Knox wrote, referring to Pete Carmichael, the longtime offensive coordinator of the Saints who was fired on January 16. “With head coach Dennis Allen (likely) entering 2024 on the hot seat, Carr should do the same.

“Carr has $52.8 million in dead money remaining on his contract, so he’ll be back in 2024,” Knox wrote in his January 17 column. “Like Daniel Jones, though, he’ll be a realistic cut candidate in 2025 if he doesn’t deliver a playoff victory or two. New Orleans could release Carr next offseason with a post-June 1 designation and save $40 million in cap space.”

Based on his contract, Carr will have at least one more season to prove he’s the Saints’ franchise quarterback, but he could be on a shorter leash.

Jon Gruden Could Join New Orleans Saints Staff

One thing that could help Carr’s Saints tenure is the possible addition of Jon Gruden to the coaching staff. According to Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com, the former Raiders head coach is in the mix to join the Saints.

“The Saints are expected to make changes to their coaching staff in the wake of their disappointing 2023 season, and former NFL head coach Jon Gruden is being considered as a possible addition, sources said Monday,” Duncan wrote in a January 8 column.

The Saints’ firing of Carmichael could pave the way for Gruden to be the team’s offensive playcaller next season. However, general manager Mickey Loomis said he wasn’t ready to commit to a hire quite yet.

“I don’t want to talk about specific candidates for that role,” Loomis said when asked about Gruden as an offensive coordinator candidate, via Nick Underhill of NOF.

Gruden could be the Saints’ offensive coordinator next season but it appears the Saints are still looking at their options. It also remains to be seen if the former Super Bowl-winning head coach would be open to the role.

Derek Carr’s Familiarity With Jon Gruden’s Offense

Carr has had six different playcallers in his 10-year career. If the Saints were to hire Gruden as offensive coordinator, it would be an easy transition for Carr. He spent four seasons in Gruden’s system and knows it well.

For the Saints to hire somebody else, Carr would have to learn a new system from scratch. Greg Olson could also be an option as he’s also called plays for Carr in 2014 and again in 2021. Gruden would be a big-time hire but he does bring a lot of attention to the franchise due to his lawsuit with the NFL. Bringing on Gruden as an adviser and hiring Olson as offensive coordinator could be a realistic situation.

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After hiring new offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, head coach Brian Daboll and company have begun the interview process at defensive coordinator and — as of January 13 — running backs coach.

NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport informed: “[New Orleans] Saints RBs coach Joel Thomas is interviewing today for the vacant Giants RB coach job, source said. New Orleans gave permission for the interview, not wanting to hold a coach back.”

He added that “former NYG RBs coach Jeff Nixon left for Syracuse.”

Giants Coaching Candidate Joel Thomas Has Worked With Alvin Kamara His Entire NFL Career

When it comes to position coaches, it can be hard to differentiate resumes. Sometimes, it helps to put player’s faces to the names.

For example, Thomas’ claim to fame at the NFL level is developing Saints star running back Alvin Kamara and his teammates in New Orleans.

Thomas has been a member of the Saints staff since 2015 and was hired by former head coach Sean Payton. He was a collegiate coach before that, spending time at University of Arkansas, Washington, Idaho, Louisville and Purdue. His resume spans back to the year 2000, and Thomas also played running back at Idaho from 1993 through 1998.

As his Saints bio reads: “Under Thomas’ tutelage, Alvin Kamara has earned five Pro Bowl selections as the only player in the NFL to have at least 1,300 total yards from scrimmage in each of the last six seasons, three of them 1,500 or more. Since his debut in 2017, Kamara’s one of only two players in the NFL with at least 8,500 yards from scrimmage and at least 70 touchdowns, tied for the franchise lead by reaching the end zone 72 times.”

But his track record goes beyond one playmaker. “Since arriving in 2015, the [Saints have] led the National Football League with 148 rushing touchdowns [and] in total, Thomas’ running backs have registered 25 individual 100-yard performances since 2015” — per the team’s bio.

Thomas has also helped Mark Ingram II add to franchise rushing achievements in New Orleans. And he’s pushed veteran Latavius Murray to produce two of his top three yards per carry averages since entering the league in 2014.

Former college stars turned NFL pros like Jonathan Williams (Arkansas), Alex Collins (Arkansas) and Bishop Sankey (Washington) had some of their best seasons with Thomas as well. Each was drafted based on their collegiate productivity.

Writer Says Giants Should Not Re-Sign Saquon Barkley

Speaking of running backs, the free agency decision on Saquon Barkley will dominate headlines this offseason once again. The Giants could work out a new deal with Barkley, franchise tag him, or let him walk.

USA Today Giants Wire writers John Fennelly and Dan Benton believe the latter route is the way to go.

“There’s an old saying when it comes to players who want top dollar after their team has a miserable season,” the Giants Wire article reasoned on January 11. “‘We finished last with you, we can finish last without you.’”

The overall purpose of the column was to determine eight free agents that Big Blue “should not” re-sign, and Barkley was the headliner.

“Saquon Barkley is still a viable player and a top back but he was injured again this year, costing him games, which re-raises the red flags,” they continued.

Concluding: “Using the franchise tag on Barkley will cost the Giants around $12.4 million this season. For a team with just $34-38 million in available cap space and a ton of needs, can they afford to dedicate that to a running back with an injury history?”

It’s a fair question, and one general manager Joe Schoen and Daboll must determine the answer to as soon as possible in 2024.

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During the Week 13 game between the Saints and Detroit Lions, defensive end Bruce Irvin hit Carr hard which led to him exiting the game. Irvin played with Carr on the Raiders from 2016 to 2018 so he knows the quarterback well. While he has respect for Carr’s game, he did throw a bit of shade at the quarterback.

“I played with him in Oakland, so I know when you get around him, he gets rattled,” Irvin told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on December 3. “He’s a hell of a player, but we knew if we got around him, we could rattle him a little bit.”

The notion that Carr gets rattled when pressured has been a common criticism that he’s pushed back against. Notably, he had tension with Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa after he said something very similar during the 2021 season. Following the hit from Irvin, Carr is now in the concussion protocol and is also dealing with a rib injury.

Bruce Irvin Happy to Be Back on the Field

Bruce Irvin has bounced around the league in recent years and is 36. A lot of defensive linemen don’t continue to play this long due to how violent the position can be. However, Irvin is proving that he still has some juice left in the tank after getting a sack in his first game this season.

He’s very happy to be playing football again after not being on a roster for the first half of the season.

“I woke up this morning, I felt like a kid before Christmas,” Irvin said. “I was excited. Just trying to take full advantage of this opportunity, because [this] part of my career, you know, the opportunities are very limited. Just happy to be back, man, and being a part of a team again.”

Though he hadn’t been playing this season, Irvin just needed a little bit of time to get into shape and the rest was easy.

“At this point of my career, this stuff is like riding a bike,” Irvin said. “I’ve been doing it for so long. It’ll come back. I’m just happy they didn’t rush me and try to get me out there as soon as I got here. They gave me time, let my body adjust, get in football shape. And, you know, it showed today.”

What’s Next for Derek Carr?

Now that Derek Carr is in the concussion protocol, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to play in the Week 14 game against the Carolina Panthers. He’s proven his toughness in the past and has only missed two regular season starts due to injury throughout his career. He may not have a choice but to miss at least one start as he recovers from a concussion.

Carr missing a game could open up the possibility of Jameis Winston earning the starting job the rest of the way. Carr hasn’t been playing well and the Saints need to start winning if they hope to make the playoffs. He’ll likely do what he can to get back on the field as soon as possible so he doesn’t risk losing his starting job.

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Things have not gone well for Carr early on. The Saints are on a three-game losing streak and the team is 5-7 on the season despite being in the weakest division in the NFL. Carr hasn’t played particularly well as he’s thrown just 11 touchdowns to six interceptions and is 22nd in the NFL with a 67.6 Pro Football Focus grade.

Things are so bad for the Saints and Carr that fans booed the quarterback every time he came on the field in the team’s Week 13 matchup against the Detroit Lions.

Raiders fans were so divided during the Carr era that many are taking a victory lap now that the quarterback is struggling. Some fans called out the fact that he’s not playing well despite having a talented Saints defense behind him.

Other fans pointed out that maybe it was Carr who was holding the Raiders back over the previous nine seasons.

Another fan believes that rookie fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell is an upgrade over Carr.

What Happens if Derek Carr Can’t Turn Things Around?

Saints fans clearly aren’t going to have patience for Derek Carr. The fan base just had 15 years of Drew Brees, who made 12 Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl during his time in New Orleans. The Saints gave a four-year contract worth $150 million this offseason and they don’t have a realistic out until 2026.

The team tied themselves to Carr and can’t afford to bench a quarterback who is making $37.5 million a year. However, things are already turning toxic between Carr and the fan base. The Saints were supposed to have an easy ride to the playoffs as no team in the NFC South has a record above .500 right now.

Carr needs to turn things around quickly. Head coach Dennis Allen is the likely fall guy if the Saints don’t start winning games but he’s one of Carr’s biggest supporters. If he’s let go, it’s anybody’s guess what might happen with the quarterback. Carr is a four-time Pro Bowler and has proven to be a good quarterback in the past. He just needs to put things together in New Orleans before this situation turns too toxic.

Derek Carr Dealing With Concussion

To make matters worse for Derek Carr, he’s been getting banged up this season. He had to leave the matchup against the Lions early due to a concussion. He’s now in the concussion protocol, which means there’s a good chance he won’t play against the Carolina Panthers in Week 14.

The Panthers are the worst team in the NFL with a 1-11 record so the Saints should be able to win even without Carr in the lineup. However, that could’ve been a good game for him to get right. It’s been a really rough year for Carr between getting dumped by the Raiders and now struggling with the Saints. If New Orleans doesn’t turn things around, it’ll be interesting to see what their offseason looks like.

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“I’m told free agent DE Jason Pierre-Paul has officially signed with the [New Orleans] Saints, per his agent @EloyVazquezJr,” CBS Sports NFL insider Josina Anderson stated on November 14. “Pierre-Paul will still report to the facility later this week, despite the team being on a bye, in order to his expedite his acclimation.”

Anderson added that “Pierre-Paul is super excited to join New Orleans and make an impact, and to help them to win.”

Jason Pierre-Paul Is Filling Out Hall of Fame Resume

Pierre-Paul has been very open and honest about his pursuit of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Hopefully, one day I am a Hall of Famer,” the two-time Super Bowl champion said on “The Pivot Podcast” back on October 10.

He’s certainly building up the resume to get it done. If you count the postseason, Pierre-Paul now has 98 career sacks — which is obviously two away from triple digits.

“I’m trying to reach 100 sacks,” JPP confirmed during the same interview. “That’s a goal I want, and I haven’t been given the opportunity.”

Now, he has, and it will come in New Orleans. The Saints are 5-5 in 2023, but they are also right in the thick of the playoff conversation.

They currently lead the NFC South division, which has three teams with sub-.500 records this year and zero with above-.500 records.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons are the only serious competitors remaining. Both have four wins at this time, but neither were expected to light the league on fire at the start of the season.

JPP should boost this Saints defense, which ranks 16th in both points and yards against. He’ll provide rotational depth behind veteran pass rushers Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson on the edge.

Pierre-Paul will also get his shot at a third Super Bowl title with a new organization. New Orleans is still considered a longshot to win in 2023, but anything can happen if you make it to the dance.

FanDuel Sportsbook has them at +6000 odds to win it all this year. Talk about a potential resume booster for an NFL Hall of Famer.

Jason Pierre-Paul Will Go Down as a Giants Legend

No matter what happens with the Hall of Fame, Pierre-Paul should go down as a Giants legend when all is said and done.

Over his tenure in New York, the former No. 15 overall pick racked up 59 sacks, 91 tackles for a loss, 111 quarterback hits, 13 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, two interceptions and three total touchdowns during the regular season and postseason combined. He did that over eight years.

Of course, there were some frustrating moments — like the loss of two fingers in the infamous firework incident — but JPP rarely let any sort of injury slow him down. According to the long-time NFL talent, that’s just his nature.

“I’m still doing things [outside of football],” Pierre-Paul told “The Pivot Podcast” in October. “I’m renovating houses, I got businesses going on, and that keeps my mind off things. You know my mom told me — ‘hey son, you need to chill. Like, you always doing something’— but that’s been me my whole life.”

“It’s in me,” he added. “This [mentality] is something that I didn’t learn, it’s just in me.”

As the weeks trickle on in Giants land, JPP’s pursuit of 100 sacks is something worth watching. After all, he may hit that achievement as a Saint, but he’ll go down in the history books as a Giant.

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As training camps open and the Detroit Lions vs. Kansas City Chiefs opening night matchup gets closer by the day, Heavy is taking a deep dive into every position in an ongoing series ranking the top five players in the NFL, by position, for the upcoming 2023 campaign.

Next up: Safeties.

Previous editions: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends | Offensive Tackles | Interior Offensive Linemen | Edge Rushers | Defensive Tackles

1. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Steelers

Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of the NFL’s ascending stars, already with three First-Team All-Pro selections, and three Pro Bowl nods under his belt.

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, Fitzpatrick has solidified his status as the premier player at his position. After intercepting 17 passes and returning three for touchdowns, while forcing three fumbles and logging 299 total tackles, the 26-year-old has shown an ability to make an impact both in deep coverage as well as in run support.

Underscoring Fitzpatrick’s production is the fact that opposing quarterbacks produced a pedestrian 72.3 passer rating when targeting him last season, and Pro Football Focus awarded him an 82.2 run-defense grade. The Steelers invested heavily in the secondary this offseason, signing Patrick Peterson before drafting Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr., but Fitzpatrick is this group’s bedrock, and the top safety in the league.

2. Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens

Few defensive rookies made the impact on their teams that Kyle Hamilton did for the Baltimore Ravens last season, playing his way onto the PFWA All-Rookie team, while showing flashes of potential yet to be reached.

Hamilton burst onto the scene and up the rankings of the top safeties in the NFL, after being chosen No. 14 overall, and logging 62 total tackles with a pair of sacks, four tackles for loss, and one forced fumble.

Boasting a balanced skill set, outstanding instincts in coverage, and playing in a system that should allow him to flourish, it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising to see Hamilton wind up the Ravens’ best all-around defensive player in 2023 and one of the top players at his position.

3. Tyrann Mathieu, New Orleans Saints

Few safeties strike the kind of fear into quarterbacks and pass-catchers alike, than Tyrann Mathieu.

The Honeybadger’s first season for his hometown New Orleans Saints was among his finest as a professional. Mathieu posted a career-high 91 total tackles, while producing three interceptions, forcing a fumble, and carding one sack.

Given that 2023 will be Mathieu’s second season under defensive-minded head coach Dennis Allen, there’s a really good chance that his freelancing playmaking ability will be on full display this season, even moreso than the veteran was able to show in 2022 while getting his sea-legs underneath him back in the Bayou.

4. Rodney McLeod, Cleveland Browns

Rodney McLeod arrives in Cleveland as the elder statesman in a Browns secondary teeming with youth.

McLeod, 32, was one of the Colts’ most consistent defenders last season, producing a career-high 96 tackles with two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.

Arriving in Cleveland, with a Super Bowl ring in tow, McLeod’s experience and consistency will be an asset to the Browns’ young defense. And, McLeod gets to play in a secondary that benefits from Myles Garrett’s dominant pass-rush presence up front.

5. Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Antoine Winfield has quickly developed into one of the centerpieces of the Buccaneers‘ defense, and ascended into the conversation as one of the premier safeties in the NFL.

Winfield Jr. is a dynamic playmaker, whom the Buccaneers have deployed as a Swiss Army Knife of a defender, with the ability to fly around the football both in coverage as well as throwing his weight around up near the line of scrimmage.

Last season, Winfield Jr. produced 4.0 sacks last season to go with his 76 total tackles and one forced fumble, which could set the stage for an even more productive 2023 campaign as the Buccaneers move him to more of a traditional safety role this fall.

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Five-time Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry, 30, hasn’t landed with a team yet, and he still has something left to offer. Landry still averages more than 10 yards per reception amid his decline.

He would add quality depth to the Patriots’ receiving room at a low cost, considering his $3 million contract with the New Orleans Saints last season. That’s a far cry from his Cleveland Browns days where the team gave him a five-year, $75 million during his prime.

The Patriots dealt with Landry twice a year in his prime when he played for the Miami Dolphins. Landry made three Pro Bowls with the team amid two 1,000-yard seasons and 17 touchdowns in that span.

While Landry won’t be mistaken for Hopkins, the former Dolphins star could improve on a subpar 2022 season with the Saints. He only tallied 25 receptions for 272 yards and a touchdown in nine games for an offense that ranked 16th in passing last season.

Landry fared significantly better in his final two seasons with the Browns. He tallied 124 receptions for  1,440 yards and five touchdowns in 23 games between 2020 and 2021.

Patriots ‘Believe’ They’re Still in The Mix for DeAndre Hopkins: Insider

Whether or not the Patriots can sign Hopkins instead remains unknown, and he has three other suitors according to Mike Giardi. Those teams include Browns, Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans per Giardi.

“The Patriots lowered Parker’s cap hit with the new deal, and I’m told they still believe they’re in the Hopkins business,” Giardi wrote via Twitter. “As for the FA WR, league sources tell me Hopkins remains hopeful that more suitors will emerge, thereby increasing his bargaining power.”

Hopkins visited the Patriots and Titans in mid June, and he didn’t take either contract offer. Analysts such as NFL Network’s Ian Rappoport anticipate that Hopkins won’t sign with a team until training camp in late July.

Patriots Can Ill Afford to Not Add Receiver Depth

New England doesn’t have much receiver depth, and top target JuJu Smith-Schuster has been dealing with a knee injury. The Patriots recently extended receiver Devante Parker, which won’t impact the team’s ability to pursue Hopkins according to media reports.

Without a veteran addition such as Hopkins or Landry at least, the Patriots have little proven experience after Smith-Schuster, Parker, and Kendrick Bourne. New England would need a bounce-back season from Bourne and for Tyquan Thornton to take off in year two.

Late-round draft picks Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte remain unknowns. Tre Nixon, Raleigh Webb, and Ed Lee likewise have no regular season game experience. Matthew Slater, though a veteran, mainly plays special teams.

Status quo at receiver for the Patriots could cause a challenge for third-year quarterback Mac Jones, who took a step back in 2022. Jones managed 2,997 yards for 14 touchdowns versus 11 interceptions with Jakobi Meyers and Parker as the top receiver.

Meyers left in free agency for the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Patriots also lost a productive veteran in Nelson Agholor to the Baltimore Ravens.

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Carr spent nine years as the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders but didn’t have much playoff success. The team went to the playoffs twice during his tenure and didn’t win a single game. Las Vegas will be hosting the Super Bowl for the 2023 season, which could offer Carr the perfect chance to get revenge against his old team. Saints star pass rusher Cameron Jordan would like to send his new teammate to his old stadium for the Super Bowl.

“I expect the Super Bowl,” Jordan said on June 19 during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I expect to take Derek Carr, DC4, back to Vegas where he just left and have a return run at the Super Bowl.”

The Saints went 7-10 last season and missed the playoffs with Andy Dalton starting 14 games. Dalton had a passer rating of 95.2 last season, which was better than Carr’s 86.3. Is he good enough to turn the Saints from a non-playoff team to a Super Bowl contender? That will be one of the most interesting storylines to watch this season.

Michael Thomas Praises Derek Carr

Derek Carr was beloved by his teammates on the Raiders but was the fall guy following a disappointing 6-11 season where he was benched following a Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now that Carr is in New Orleans, he has shown he can quickly develop relationships with new plays. Wide receiver Michael Thomas has been impressed with Carr since he joined the team.

“He wants to win just like I want to win,” Thomas said, via a June 9 article from Katherine Terrell of ESPN. “He’s just very disciplined. He’s on top of his stuff. He came here for a reason. That’s the same type of confidence I hear in his voice – he came here for a reason, he came here to win. You can feel the sense of urgency. He loves ball. It’s not hard working with him. … He tells me what to do, I tell him where I’m going to be, and we’re on the same page. We can execute at a high level.”

Cameron Jordan Has High Expectations for New Orleans Saints

The Saints have missed the playoffs in two straight years since quarterback Drew Brees retired. The team hasn’t been back to the Super Bowl since 2009. Despite that Cameron Jordan is confident that the team can go far this year.

“Nobody has ever walked into a season (and) been like, ‘Ooh, I hope we win 10 games,'” Jordan said during the SiriusXM NFL Radio appearance. “No, I’m trying to win each and every game that we play. My expectation is being 21-0, 22-0, whatever it takes to get to a Super Bowl. I want to beat each and every team we line across.

“Every tackle, who I’m never gonna know their names, but like every dud that’s out there, we’re trying to beat the breaks off of them. I’m trying to get to each and every quarterback. The reality is, we have potential. The mentality is, we want to as a defense take over each and every game. And there’s no allowance to be like, ‘Hey, I think we could be a 12-5 team.’ I think we can win each and every one of these things.”

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The New Orleans Saints signed Washington Jr. to a one-year contract, according to a report by Aaron Wilson.

Washington Jr. aims to bounce back from a broken foot suffered last season during Dallas Cowboys training camp, that limited him to appearing in two games. The 27-year-old was targeted only twice during the 2022 campaign.

So, what does Washington Jr. add to the Saints’ offense?

“He’s still a pretty decent possession receiver,” an NFC executive told Heavy, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about another team. “But, he doesn’t have much play-speed at this point.”

During the offseason, Washington briefly remained in the NFC East, signing as a member of the New York Giants‘ practice squad, back on Jan. 11.

Throughout the course of his five-year career, Washington has pulled down 114 of his 219 targets for 1,649 yards and 11 touchdowns, while averaging 14.3 Yards Per Reception.

During his last fully-healthy season, he remained a steady target for former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger posted an 83.9 passer rating on Washington’s 42 targets, that the receiver converted into 24 receptions for 285 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while only dropping two passes on the season.

A former second-round pick of the Steelers, Washington Jr. is aiming to play his way into some sort of long-term home, as he enters the twilight of his NFL career. The Saints give Washington Jr. the opportunity to potentially be productive in a pass-oriented offense, as he looks to fight his way back from the injury that derailed his 2022 campaign.

How does James Washington Jr. Fit the Saints’ offense?

New Orleans is smart to continue adding veteran receivers around quarterback Derek Carr, in a division that could be ripe for the taking this fall.

Chris Olave burst onto the scene in 2022, after being chosen with the No. 11 overall pick, out of Ohio State, catching 72 passes for 119 yards with 4 touchdowns. The big-bodied, 6-foot-1 and 189-pound speedster will likely take on an expanded role in the Saints’ vertical passing game this season, especially with Carr at the helm.

The Saints have never shied against pushing the ball deep, those efforts should be buoyed by Carr’s arrival. Last season in Las Vegas, Carr finished No. 5 in the NFL in Air Yards. Even if Olave is the recipient of the lion’s share of those deep passes, Washington should have the opportunity to operate underneath.

However, should the Saints move on from veteran wide receiver Michael Thomas, Washington Jr. has the opportunity to compete for a starting receiver job.

Behind Olave and Thomas, Washington Jr. may need to climb over Rashid Shaheed, A.T. Perry, and Tre’Quan Smith, who round out the Saints’ receiving corps, if he is going to contribute quality snaps this upcoming season.

As the Saints potentially reevaluate their roster, including the status of Michael Thomas, Washington Jr. has a chance to compete for a starting position alongside Olave and contribute significantly to the team’s success in the upcoming season.

If nothing else, Washington Jr.’s arrival brings a veteran presence to a rather youthful position group that just might hold the keys to the Saints making a playoff push this season.

New Orleans chose Perry in the sixth-round of this year’s draft, the only receiver the organization selected, after finishing last season 7-10.

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The Cowboys did some work to improve their receiving corps this offseason. Dallas brought in Brandin Cooks via a solid trade and also drafted Jalen Brooks in the seventh round of the NFL Draft.

A player like Landry would be a welcomed addition, considering his strong resume and likely low price point. The 30-year-old pass-catcher landed on a list of five free agents the Cowboys should sign, curated by Ben Grimaldi of Cowboys Wire.

“Dallas could use another veteran with the ability to get open quickly to supplement their new West Coast version of the passing game,” Grimaldi wrote. “Landry still has the ability to get in and out of his routes quickly and makes plays after the catch.”

Landry departed the Cleveland Browns last offseason and signed with the New Orleans Saints. He dealt with injuries, playing in just nine games with three starts. In all, Landry recorded 25 catches for 272 yards and one touchdown, per Pro Football Reference. He hasn’t logged a 1,000-yard season since 2019 with Cleveland when he caught 83 passes for 1,174 yards and six touchdowns.

However, Landry has a pair of 100-catch seasons on his resume and would be a great addition next to CeeDee Lamb, Cooks and Michael Gallup on the depth chart.

CeeDee Lamb Wants to Surround Cowboys QB Dak Prescott With Weapons

Receiver depth was a glaring hole for the Cowboys last season. Lamb — who recently had his fifth-year option picked up — did his part, collecting 1,359 yards on 107 catches and finding the end zone nine times. Noah Brown was the next leading Cowboys receiver with 43 catches for 555 yards.

Prior to the Super Bowl, Lamb made a plea this offseason for the Cowboys to add more weapons, referencing what the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers established.

Cowboys Hoping Michael Gallup Can Bounce Back

A big factor for the Cowboys’ passing game is Gallup, who didn’t look like the player he was prior to ACL surgery. Fresh off an extension, Gallup finished with just 39 catches in 14 games, recording a career-low 424 yards and four touchdowns.

He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee and cleaned up his right ankle this offseason. The Cowboys are hoping a clean bill of health will help him get on track.

“I think Michael Gallup has a great chance to take the next step, in terms of what he can do,” Stephen Jones said in February. “Coming off a major ACL, I think it’s pretty typical the guys improve from the first year to the second year. There’s usually a jump and I fully expect Michael to do that.”

The Super Bowl expectations are clear for the Cowboys, so they’ll need their passing game hitting on all cylinders.

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After losing David Onyemata, Marcus Davenport, Shy Tuttle, and Kentavius Street in free agency, with only Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders signed to take their place, the Saints needed additional talent on the defensive line heading into the 2023 NFL Draft to pair up with aging star Cameron Jordan. Though Bresee alone won’t solve the team’s problems, his versatility should help to take up snaps moving forward.

The 49ers’ 1st-Round Pick Hit the Road

When the Niners traded their first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in 2021 for the pick eventually used to draft Trey Lance, they likely didn’t expect the selection would eventually be used by the Saints.

Initially traded to the Dolphins on March 26, 2021, after the 49ers recorded a rare non-playoff season, Miami eventually moved the pick to the Denver Broncos in a much larger deal that sent Bradley Chubb back to South Beach. From there, the Broncos opted to trade the pick too, this time not for a player but a new head coach; sending pick 29 to the Saints for the contract rights to Sean Payton, who subsequently agreed to a new five-year deal “in the neighborhood of $18 million per season,” according to Peter King.

The surrendering even more draft capital to acquire Christian McCaffrey at the 2022 NFL trade deadline, the 49ers are slated to make their first pick at 99, with two more selections coming at 101 and 102.

The Saints Earned Average Marks in 1st-Round Quick-Snap

Evaluating how every team used their draft capital on Day 1 of the 2023 NFL draft – the 49ers earned a C+ – NFL.com Draft Analyst Chad Reuter gave the Saints a B- grade for the selection of Bresee, with the talent evaluator knocking the team for trading up for Chris Olave in 2022.

“The Saints gave up their first-rounder in this year’s draft in a trade with the Eagles prior to last year’s draft,” Reuter wrote. “New Orleans used draft capital from that trade to move up for Chris Olave last year. Olave’s a fine player, but the Eagles have to feel good about that deal right now. New Orleans received a first-round pick from Denver for former head coach Sean Payton, though, using that pick on Bresee. I’m not sure he will be an elite player, but Bresee is the sort of interior player the Saints needed. Hopefully, he will be able to put some of the injury woes he dealt with in college behind him.”

As Reuter pointed out in the preface to his evaluation, it’s impossible to thoroughly grade a draft class on draft night, with years needed to truly see how picks pan out. Still, a B- is the eighth-lowest grade Reuter handed out in his evaluations, with the Niners earning only one grade lower for not making a pick at all. After losing a top-10 selection to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, Bresee clearly didn’t live up to Reuter’s expectations.

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Street inked a one-year contract on April 3 to join what he called a “special” place. The 26-year-old spent last season playing for the New Orleans Saints prior to three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He got a taste of camaraderie and Brotherly Love during a business trip in 2022. The Saints beat the Eagles 20-10 that day, but Street watched with envy as Eagles players celebrated their successes together by jumping in the air, hugging each other, and butting heads after every big play. The scene stuck with him.

“I feel like my talents and what I bring to the table as far as my intangibles fit into this scheme, and I’m ready to do whatever they need me to do,” Street told reporters. “So, from the outside looking in, it looked like the players, everyone dealing with the organization really enjoyed coming to work here.

“And I feel like that’s very rare in our line of work. It can very grueling, of course, it’s very demanding, and to be able to come in day in and day out, and smile and enjoy being around your co-workers … that’s special, that’s rare — and I’m so happy to be a part that.”

The former fourth-round pick in 2018 had one more request: call him Street, not Kentavius. It’s just simpler that way.

“I’ve had people call me Street Money, Super Street. It’s a lot more to play with than Kentavius,” Street said. “Kentavius has a larger margin of error, so I try to avoid that.”

Excited to Play with Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox

Another selling point was the opportunity to share the trenches with Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox in Philly. Those two defensive playmakers have combined for 135 total sacks, with Street watching their storied careers from afar. He’s anxious to get into the film room and learn from living legends.

“I’ve been watching these guys since I was a puppy,” Street said. “Fletch and BG have been setting the standard for d-lineman for a long time now. And being able to be in the building with these guys, going to practice, going to war with these guys is going to be huge. I think it’s going to add so much to my game, just being able to pick their brains, see what they see, react on how they react, pass rush like they pass rush, you know, try to add that to my game I know I can only get better.”

Street also singled out two other all-time greats from bygone years: Trent Cole and Brian Dawkins. Yes, he’s been a closet Eagles fan for quite some time.

“I really feel like this Eagles organization has always had a standard that they’ve upheld,” Street said. “It’s never bent. It’s never faltered. It’s extremely exciting to be a part of it because I really feel like I can my best foot forward here.”

Fully Recovered from Injuries, Tough Rookie Year

Street suffered a torn ACL during his pro day in 2018 which caused him to fall down draft boards. He was forced to sit out his rookie year, then returned in 2019 and saw action in only three games. It was a rough start as he bounced between the injured reserve and the active roster to start his NFL career. Street didn’t really feel 100% healthy until the COVID-affected season in 2020.

“As crazy as COVID was, I feel like that was the first time I felt normal,” Street said.

Now he is feeling confident and excited about a new journey. He sat down with new defensive coordinator Sean Desai on April 3 to talk scheme and overall impact. He feels he’s in the best possible spot to contribute right away.

“Seems genuinely excited to be a part of this and to continue the success that the Philadelphia Eagles defense has been having,” Street said about his conversation with Desai. “I think it’s going to bring a plethora of things to this defense and I think that we’ll only improve with him at the helm. I’m very excited to be a part of this defense.”

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The Saints announced that they have signed wide receiver Bryan Edwards.

Edwards first came into the NFL as a third-round pick of the Raiders. There was a lot of hype around him coming into the league but he was never able to break out in Las Vegas. His best season came in 2021 when he started in 12 games and had 34 catches for 571 yards. He was starting to develop a solid rapport with Carr before the Raiders traded him to the Atlanta Falcons. He wasn’t able to catch on in Atlanta and only played in seven games before getting cut. He then had a brief stint on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad but was cut before the playoffs and didn’t play in a game for them. Perhaps a reunion with Carr could get him back on track.

Can Edwards Bounce Back on Saints?

There was talk of Edwards being a first-round pick back in 2020 if he didn’t suffer an injury prior to the draft. He’s got a big body at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds. He also has good hands and can make contested catches. The problem with his game is that most balls thrown his way are contested catches because he has a hard time getting open.

Edwards doesn’t have great speed so he needs to win with route running. For whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to elevate that part of his game. The Saints have a dynamic young wide receiver in Chris Olave and Michael Thomas was arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL before he started suffering injury issues. They’ll be getting much more attention than Edwards, which could open things up for him.

Dave Ziegler Talks Raiders’ WR Corps

The Raiders’ wide receiver corps will look a bit different next season. Mack Hollins is off to the Falcons but the team added Jakobi Meyers. The Raiders have a lot of wide receivers who are good in the slot, which could change how the offense looks in 2023. General manager Dave Ziegler explained why the team constructed the wide receiver corps the way that they did.

“I don’t look at it as overlap as much as I look at it as versatility to be able to move people around and put them in different spots. … I’ve had similar circumstances in the past where say like Julian [Edelman] and Danny [Amendola] had some overlap in their skill set, but we also used it kind of to our advantage,” Ziegler said in an interview with Tashan Reed of The Athletic. “Those guys will give us flexibility to move people around. Jakobi has a lot of his production inside the numbers and I think that’s tailored to what we do offensively. I think it also highlights some of the things that Jimmy does well offensively, and where he throws the football well.”

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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports

The post Ex-Raiders Starting WR Reunites With Derek Carr on Saints appeared first on Heavy Sports.