Thanks to a combination of shoulder injuries and lack of confidence from his team, Derek Carr has officially called it quits after 11 years in the NFL. Now that both Dennis Allen and Carr are officially gone, the New Orleans Saints find themselves, once again, searching for an identity in a post-Drew Brees league.
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On the most recent episode of the Nightcap podcast, the former Cincinnati Bengal, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, found himself just as puzzled about the Saints’ future as everyone else.
In noting that the entire situation surrounding Carr’s injury was mishandled by both him and the Saints’ front office, the former wide receiver asserted that the quarterback “knew good and well” that he had left the franchise in a rather impossible position.
While cognizant of the fact that the fanbase is thrilled to no longer have their happiness in the hands of Derek Carr, Ocho reiterated that the Saints will continue to struggle until they find their next replacement.
“I tweeted the broken heart emoji about Derek Carr being gone and then I had to remember, you know what, the people in New Orleans, in Baton Rouge, in Louisiana, man they happy. They cheering, they second lining. I know you’re happy Derek Carr’s gone… But now, who ya got? …They gone be shook until they get a god d*mned quarterback.”
While Carr’s retirement certainly has its fair share of implications on everything from the state of the Saints’ roster to the team’s 2025 win total, Johnson’s Hall of Fame co-host, Shannon Sharpe, couldn’t help but to harp on the mismanagement of Carr’s shoulder injury throughout this offseason.
Given the initial timing of Carr’s injury announcement, paired with the team’s perennial uncertainty, the former tight end couldn’t help but to fault the quarterback for walking away from a serious payday.
“His seasons been over, because he got hurt. Rattler been playing… You know, sometimes Ocho, they tell you “rest.” And then, when rest doesn’t do it, now you done let two months pass of rest, when you should have went in and had that shoulder [surgery.]“
However, Sharpe’s final talking point will likely prove to be a bitter pill to swallow for the Who Dat nation. In light of the fact that Saints fans are still feeling the absence of Brees to this very day, Sharpe went as far as to suggest that the fanbase has become spoiled, imploring them to lower their expectations for the foreseeable future.
Considering that, apart from the Drew Brees era, the Saints have often been regarded as a destitute franchise, his criticisms will be accepted, albeit begrudgingly.
“What happens is you get spoiled. You had Drew Brees for 15 years and then you expect every quarterback to, look, you’re not going to beat Green Bay. You’re not going to have Brett Favre for 15-20 years, have Aaron Rodgers for 15-20 years, then have Jordan Love.”
Simply put, the Saints are thrilled to be rid of a quarterback who did not live up to their expectations, but they are now forced to continue their search for a signal caller who can. Until New Orleans can find its Mr. Right, the franchise is likely doomed to continue its never-ending search for a man who can completely replace Drew Brees, a task that essentially seems to be impossible at this point in time.
