Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder took a look into the near future to take a look every team’s most important contract decision. The list primarily consists of 2025 free agents. That may feel like a decision for a year from now, but these decisions are often made ahead of time.
Players who enter the final year of their contract are ideal trade pieces. In the New Orleans Saints’ case, Derek Carr was the selection. He isn’t a 2025 free agent, but making a decision on his contract will impact the team-building strategy moving forward.
Unlike the other players mentioned, Carr isn’t an impending free agent, but his contract has an out that would save the Saints $30 million of cap space with a post-June 1 designation, per Over The Cap. That could be intriguing for a club that’s currently projected to begin the offseason over $90 million in the hole, especially if the team wants to rebuild.
Carr is a good choice, but this isn’t the right reason.
Finances are an annual talking-point around the team, and there’s no reason to see that ending. Carr’s cap hit is relevant to that topic because it’s salary cap-related. However, the decision on Carr will not be a salary cap decision.
The decision on what to do with Carr is purely performance based. If he’s a good fit in Klint Kubiak’s offensee, the Saints will keep him. He’s the starting quarterback. New Orleans isn’t getting rid of him before or after June 1 in the name of saving $30 million. His no-trade clause limits their options. And if they do want to move on with that post-June 1 cuts designation, they’ll have to find a way to get under the salary cap while carrying his $51.4 million cap hit on the books until June 2.
The decision to make is really does New Orleans want to be tied to him any more. Carr’s 2024 season will answer that question. It’s on him to earn more job security and put off talk about a potential rebuild (possibly surrounding Spencer Rattler) for another year.
