PFF says Derek Carr's late-season surge is cause for optimism in 2024
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 29: Derek Carr #4 of the New Orleans Saints reacts prior to a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
It took some time for Derek Carr to find his bearings with the New Orleans Saints, but you can't say the quarterback didn't finish his 2023 season strong. A large part of that was due to change in practice habits. The Saints emphasized their red zone offense, somewhere Carr had always struggled, and by year's end his teammate Demario Davis was boasting about Carr being the best red-zone passer in the league.
The team at Pro Football Focus was certainly impressed by his improvement. PFF's Dalton Wasserman pointed to Carr's progress as the biggest reason for optimism about the Saints' chances in 2024:
Of course things are different now. The offensive coordinator Carr was working with, Pete Carmichael, was fired and replaced by Klint Kubiak. He's had to learn a new offense with different concepts and its own terminology. But the hope is for Kubiak's system to work to Carr's strengths, putting him in position to make more plays and experience fewer hurdles.
Everything rides on things going as planned. If Carr has another slow start and the Saints stumble out of the gate, they're going to be in trouble. Missing the playoffs four years in a row when Dennis Allen was sold to fans as a coach who could guide the team to the postseason -- with Carr, his handpicked $150 million quarterback, out in front -- could be disastrous. Hopefully Kubiak's offense is as strong a fit for Carr as the Saints envision. They can't afford to find out that it isn't.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: PFF says Derek Carr's late-season surge is cause for optimism in 2024