4 Off-season mistakes the Atlanta Falcons will benefit from in 2023
By Nick Halden
1. The New Orleans Saints overpaying for Derek Carr
To be fair to Derek Carr it is important to point out that over the last nine seasons, Carr has dealt with a clear level of dysfunction and rarely had anything close to a capable defense. However, there are also issues that are on Carr that ended with the veteran being benched and jettisoned from the Raiders.
The biggest issue is the consistent turnovers despite having an all-star team of playmakers around him. The veteran is getting a better defense in New Orleans but one that is heading in the wrong direction while also downgrading offensive weapons.
New Orleans went out and acquired a slightly better version of Andy Dalton while losing many key pieces from what was a seven-win team. The Saints' decision to pay Carr instead of attempting to rebuild will cost New Orleans in the NFC South and further derail a franchise that will soon be forced to deal with the cap mess they have created.
Carr is a solid player and a slight upgrade but not the franchise-altering quarterback New Orleans needed to re-open their window to contend. One that will now remain firmly shut over the next half-decade.