Ex-Raiders Star Already Entering Make-or-Break Season With New Team

Getty New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr.

In Derek Carr’s first season away from the Las Vegas Raiders, things didn’t go well for his former team or his new team the New Orleans Saints. Both teams missed the playoffs and the Raiders are struggling to find stability at quarterback.

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.