Getty Derek Carr with Jon Gruden.
The New Orleans Saints are bringing in a bunch of former Las Vegas Raiders. The team signed quarterback Derek Carr to take over as the starter and former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen was already the man in charge. New Orleans then signed Johnathan Abram and Foster Moreau, who were both in Las Vegas last season.
It didn’t stop there as it was recently revealed that the team brought in former head coach Jon Gruden to consult on the offense. He had some success with Carr when they were both with the Raiders and built a very strong relationship. While the two never made the playoffs together, the quarterback believes he had his best years working with Gruden. He finally had a chance to discuss his relationship with the coach and gave some details about the visit.
“If anybody knows me, it’s him,” Carr said during his June 6 media availability. “I played my best football with him so it makes sense. I can’t express how much I love coach Gruden and his family. You can get mad about some things that were said or done, but you still don’t stop loving him. I know who he is.”
Will Gruden Continue to Help Saints?
It sounds like Gruden was only around to help for a few days but he was apparently brimming with ideas. Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael has been in the organization for a long time but only started calling plays last season. Gruden has decades of experience calling plays and could be a valuable resource for the team.
At this point, it’s unlikely they give him a full-time job while he’s in the middle of a lawsuit with the NFL. That said, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him come back to help the team out if they ask for it. Gruden wants to be involved in football but it’s hard to imagine a team hiring him to be a head coach. Helping out the Saints is a good foot back in the door. If things don’t work out with Carmichael, then perhaps the team considers bringing him on the staff officially.
Carr Confident in Saints Offense
Carr spent nine years with the Raiders and never thought he’d leave the team. Playing for the Saints is going to be a big transition for him. He did play for one team for a long time but he cycled through many coaches and play callers. He knows how to pick up a new system but it has taken him time to get comfortable. For right now, he knows he has work to do but he’s happy with the progress he’s made.
“I feel confident with where I’m at (in the offense),” Carr said. “We still have a long ways to go, but I feel like we’re making good progress (on offense) and it’s exciting.”
There has been a debate for years regarding if the Raiders were holding back Carr or if he was holding them back. That debate should finally be settled in the coming seasons depending on how he performs with the Saints and how the Raiders do.