Derek Carr is the first quarterback to get signed (though not officially) during the 2023 offseason, and the deal could have a very interesting effect on the market.
The former Raiders QB is going to join the New Orleans Saints on a massive four-year deal worth $150 million and which includes $100 million in guaranteed money, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The deal makes Derek Carr a top 10 quarterback in total salary, average annual salary and guaranteed money. It’s quite a haul for a QB that was disappointing enough in 2022 that his team went 6-11, and didn’t want him at the facility for the tail end of the season.
What will be even more interesting is how this affects the other QBs who are soon to sign new contracts with their current teams or elsewhere.
The first name that comes to mind is Lamar Jackson, who is an unrestricted free agent. If Carr is earning $37.5 million per year, it would stand to reason that Jackson — who won the MVP in 2019 — would have an AAV of a lot more than that.
It could also mean a nice payday for Jimmy Garoppolo, who was quite a bit better than Carr when healthy during the 2022 season.
Mostly, it shows how desperate teams are for even above-average quarterback play. With San Francisco reportedly targeting the likes of Andy Dalton, Jacoby Brissett and Matt Ryan, they also might cost the 49ers a little bit more than they initially earmarked.