The NFC South is officially under construction. All four teams in the division will feature a new starting quarterback when the 2023 season begins.
The Falcons released Marcus Mariota one year after signing him to two-year contract. The Panthers cut Baker Mayfield 12 games after acquiring him from the Browns. Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady retired after his 23rd NFL season.
Then on Monday, the Saints signed Derek Carr to a four-year, $150 million contract. Carr, who was released by the Raiders in February, gets to reunite with head coach Dennis Allen in New Orleans.
Check out how Falcons fans reacted to the signing on Twitter.
Derek Carr signing with the Saints means all four NFC South teams will have a different starting QB to begin the 2023 season than they did in 2022 Week 1.
Elias confirms the 1973 AFC West is the only division in NFL history in which every team had a different starting QB in its… https://t.co/inST1kGZ3c— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 6, 2023
Derek Carr today pic.twitter.com/rvq5kz1flx https://t.co/1YNXELfGi1
— AJ King (@allday_ajking) March 6, 2023
37.5 million a year with 100M guaranteed for just Derek Carr. Now imagine what the Falcons would have to pay for Lamar a former MVP. Our newly acquired cap space will evaporate. Forget other big FAs or the picks we would need to get him. https://t.co/Ai5FzPFIfJ
— JazzyJeffRealTalk (@JazzyJeffRealT1) March 6, 2023
Desmond Ridder > Derek Carr per sources
— Steven Padillas (@Falcons_Pad) March 6, 2023
Absolutely not. https://t.co/I7GVm8td1Y
— Cam Marino (@MarinoNFL) March 6, 2023
Dennis Allen's win percentage as a Head Coach:
.283 👈Derek Carr's birthday:
3/28 👈Something's brewing here.
Shout to @JonoBarnes for pointing those numbers out. pic.twitter.com/ni6esxzGLN
— John Butler (@Saintjohnbutler) March 6, 2023
Dalton was probably better last year https://t.co/CQE5sOWRKQ pic.twitter.com/odjXkfVIbR
— 𝙈F🦕 (@HalfBl00dMason) March 6, 2023
The Saints will never do the 2-year reset the Falcons have done the past 2 years. And I don't understand why they won't. If a team needs it, it's them. https://t.co/RRa6RGgF3b
— Scott Carasik (@CarasikS) March 6, 2023
The NFC South is officially 2023's "Technically one of us has to win!" division of the season https://t.co/tPmCTO7qfm
— Mike (@100Percent_Mike) March 6, 2023
Jameis Winston really did this in week 1 against the Falcons, went out with injuries after playing two more games with 4 cracked vertebrae and a torn ankle tendon. Then benched for Andy Dalton, who failed?! Dennis Allen was always angling for Derek Carr.
pic.twitter.com/0cDvnQ35Qr— Chugs (@ChugDeezNutz) March 6, 2023
Lamar Jackson looking at Derek Carr contract with the Saints pic.twitter.com/6PA4546B6Y
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) March 6, 2023
Jameis Winston & Taysom Hill to Derek Carr on the first day of training camp pic.twitter.com/tC6D7XPWmV
— Arslan (@thega1nz) March 6, 2023
Good for Derek but the Saints must print money/cap space https://t.co/G46pGEsp3M
— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 6, 2023
Saints keeping themselves in mediocrity lmfaoooo pic.twitter.com/eu9F7bUbsB
— FFYT🎱 (@_FootballFilms_) March 6, 2023
Lol we suppose to be scared of Derek Carr ? Man falcons still winning the division .
— Leonard Washington (@OGBruceLeroy) March 6, 2023
we can lol @ Derek Carr to the Saints all we want, but he's *currently* the best QB in the NFC South.
that division is WIIIIIDE open in a post-Brady world. your move(s), Bucs/Panthers/Falcons.
— 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙨 🦈 (@HermsNFL) March 6, 2023
NFC South QBs under contract for next season as of today:
Saints:
🏈 Derek Carr
🏈Jameis Winston*
🏈 Jake LutonFalcons:
🏈 Desmond Ridder
🏈 Logan WoodsideBuccaneers
🏈 Kyle TraskPanthers:
🏈 Matt Corral
🏈 Jacob Eason*likely cap casualty
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 6, 2023