Derek Carr signs with Saints: What does it mean for Eagles
There is a major difference between the top quarterbacks in the AFC and the top quarterbacks in the NFC, and that difference has been growing in recent years.
With a majority of the league’s top quarterbacks residing in the AFC, the chances of coming out of that conference and getting to the Super Bowl is a very daunting task. The same can not be said on the NFC side. The conference is wide open as it has been in decades and several quarterbacks are starting to understand that their best chance of winning might come from there.
Derek Carr is just the latest example.
According to Adam Schefter, the former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback has signed a four-year deal with the New Orleans Saints, while spurning the AFC-ridden Jets.
Carr’s entrance into the NFC, let alone the NFC South, means that he’s a top quarterback in the conference before even taking a snap. So what does this mean for the defending conference champion Eagles? A whole lot.
NFC Supremacy
Obviously, the signing of Derek Carr leaves the Saints as the favorite to win the wide-open NFC South. That also means they’ll be in the running for the top overall seed in the NFC Playoffs. For the Eagles, they don’t have the Saints on their upcoming schedule, but adding another team to the small list of contenders offers new challenges to try and repeat as the conference’s best team.
It also means that Jalen Hurts will have to be even better in 2023 than he was in 2022. Carr may not be the better quarterback right now, but he shortens the gap between the two teams in a way that other players haven’t been able to.
Philadelphia will look a lot different next season with a plethora of free agents set to leave. With the defense not as strong, they’ll need to figure out a way to stop other top quarterbacks in their conference now.
Derek Carr & the Saints aren’t on Philly’s 2023 Schedule
The good news is that there is a major benefit for the Saints getting Derek Carr. Philadelphia does not have New Orleans on its schedule. But the New York Giants, as part of the 17-game schedule, do. With New York having to take on a talented team like the Saints, it could lead to an additional loss for them, and arguably a better chance for Philly to repeat as the top team in the NFC East.
Anything that makes their division easier to win, is a positive thing for the Eagles.
NFL Draft
There is another piece of good news with Derek Carr coming to the Saints. With the NFC South wide open, it’ll leave the other three teams looking to upgrade at quarterback as soon as possible. Why is that good news for Philly?
With Tampa Bay as the defending champions in the South, they aren’t in contention for a quarterback. But they could get desperate enough to trade up in the draft for one of the top quarterbacks in this class.
Philly has plenty of needs but securing Tampa Bay’s 2024 first-round pick could be a perfect fit for the team that is looking to continue its window of contention. Taking advantage of a desperate team is something Howie Roseman and the Eagles do very well and it could be happening again all thanks to Derek Carr and the Saints.
