The first quarterback domino has fallen: Derek Carr is heading to the Saints, and wideout Michael Thomas is maybe a little too happy about it.
Who needs Sean Payton and Drew Brees when you have Dennis Allen and Derek Carr? When you put it that way….yes, the New Orleans Saints still miss their glory days, but they’re taking a step in the right direction with a savvy free-agent acquisition and a reliable quarterback in Derek Carr.
Of course, Carr avoided the angry and rabid New York media and chose to settle in the laid-back, gumbo-slurping, smooth jazz vibes of New Orleans. It fits much better with his personality.
Carr’s imminent move to NOLA has already elicited plenty of positive reactions from Saints’ players who are excited to play with the four-time Pro Bowler.
Some, like punter Blake Gilikin, took a more comical approach to welcome Carr onto the team. Gilikin posted a meme suggesting his disgruntled state since Gilikin wears No. 4 on the team, and Carr will most likely steal his number.
Wideout Michael Thomas went for short and simple and thanked the holy spirit for the Derek Carr move with a prayer emoji.
A very nice gesture to Carr, no doubt, but wouldn’t currently rostered quarterback Jameis Winston be feeling just a little insulted?
Saints’ Michael Thomas rejoices over Derek Carr at the expense of Jameis Winston
Winston was signed to a two-year deal last offseason after the Saints’ notorious and failed pursuit of then-available quarterback Deshaun Watson. NOLA essentially gave him a “We’re sorry we doubted you” contract and watched in helpless horror as Winston re-injured himself in 2022, sitting out for the majority of the season.
In his three years at New Orleans, Winston has started just 10 games, failing to establish himself as a reliable passer under center (he has 18 touchdowns against eight interceptions) and gradually losing the faith of the Saints’ brass.
Thomas clearly wasn’t a fan of Winston, though Thomas can hardly complain having missed chunks of seasons himself. Thomas and Winston played together for the first three games of the 2022 season before each star got injured; Winston threw five interceptions in Week 2 and Week 3 combined, and the Saints ended up losing those two critical divisional games.
With Winston set to become a salary cap casualty later this offseason, Thomas has every reason to jump for joy — maybe just be more subtle about it?
Raiders exile Derek Carr easily tops the division as the best quarterback in the NFC South — Carr is a proven field general with solid arm strength and accuracy, has a positive connection with Dennis Allen, and he thrived the most in the Jon Gruden era, when Las Vegas’ offense was strikingly similar to that of the Saints.
Carr makes the Saints relevant again, whereas Winston just added more disappointment to the Saints’ recent age of mediocrity.
The Saints franchise will happily part ways with Winston to usher in the Carr era, but maybe Michael Thomas should focus on getting healthy before taking any more underhand shots. Thomas’ long-term future in NOLA isn’t that secure either….
