On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely is it that Kellen Moore would want to start his head coaching career with a QB who’s older than him? The Saints offseason was already looking interesting with Moore on board and everything he and the front office were doing. But what no one was expecting was that they’d pull a card that would catch the entire league off guard. On April 12, headlines made the rounds that QB Derek Carr might not be able to hit the gridiron this year. Now, this could simply translate to: there’s one more team in the mix that might be looking for a QB in the draft.
The Saints’ offseason just got a whole lot more interesting. Because this entire situation is not just about a QB going down. This is about timing. The word on the street is that the Saints may have known about Carr’s injury for a while now. But they chose to keep it hush-hush. Enter Colin Cowherd and John Middlekauff, who, on the latest episode of The Colin Cowherd Podcast, broke down major updates from around the league.
And talking about the Derek Carr injury situation, Middlekauff just warned the other franchises out there. The former NFL scout believes that this is a strategic move by New Orleans to manipulate the draft in their favor. “I wonder if this is a classic week or two before the draft, you’re trying to get some information out there so someone jumps you, right? So, the players fall to you. I just think a lot of times, the two weeks before the draft, you just got to be very, very careful with the shenanigans going on. Stories being leaked.“
Here’s how the sudden revelation of Derek Carr’s injury could be a very calculated move by the Saints. With the Saints revealing that Carr might not be able to play the upcoming season, other franchises might think that the team is prioritizing a QB in the draft. Now, that might push other teams to pick a QB earlier. In this entire situation, New Orleans might be positioning themselves to either target a QB at a more favorable draft position. Or avoid competition for one.
That’s not the only effect the Saints’ uncertainty surrounding Carr’s availability could have. Interestingly, this situation is also opening doors for other QBs who might have been looking for more options.
Aaron Rodgers: More options on the horizon?
Now, if we just forget about the calculated moves of the Saints. And if there is looming uncertainty about Derek Carr, the Saints are in dire need of a QB. Interestingly, there is one top free-agent QB available in the market: Aaron Rodgers. With each passing day, Rodgers’ situation is becoming a whole lot more intriguing. He is just there, and the teams and opportunities are creating themselves for him. With Derek’s injury concerns, we might likely hear that the Saints knocked on Aaron’s door.
So now, New Orleans might also be in the mix for pursuing Rodgers. The ex-Jets QB has been playing the waiting game this offseason. Initially, reports suggested that the 41-year-old wanted to sign with the Vikings. But the team has been hesitant to bring Rodgers on board. Then, Pittsburgh seemed like the only potential landing spot for him, but he didn’t sign any papers.
Rodgers’ waiting game has now earned him another opportunity. The question is, would Kellen Moore want to start his career as head coach with Rodgers as the QB? Because Rodgers’s infamous reputation in the league isn’t exactly hush-hush, unlike the Saints’ alleged strategic plans with Derek Carr’s injury. And if not, could the team pick a young talent from the draft? Shedeur Sanders seems to be an option for them. The Colorado star slipped a few spots in the mock drafts, and with the Saints having the No. 9 pick, could Shedeur be their answer?
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