Drew Brees voices some belief in new Saints QB Derek Carr

• NFL

New Orleans Saints legend Drew Brees thinks Derek Carr definitely received some unfair criticism during his time with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders entered the 2022 season aiming to win the Super Bowl but instead finished with a losing record and didn't even make the playoffs.

Carr, who was waived by the Raiders before signing with the Saints, received the most blame for how the Raiders' 2022 season went. But Brees does not agree that Carr is the only who should be blamed for the Raiders' disappointing 2022 season.

“I think he caught the brunt of that unfairly, and I think you shoulder a lot of that burden as the quarterback anyway. I think highly of him as a person. He’s shown the ability to execute complicated offenses where a lot is put on the quarterback position to be able to make checks and make reads very quickly.

He’s proven that," Brees said, per Pro Football Talk.

Brees thinks Carr will do great with the Saints

Since Brees retired in 2020, the Saints have had multiple starting quarterbacks. But they have yet to find a starting quarterback on a long-term basis.

Brees thinks Carr will do well with the Saints and be their quarterback for many years. “I think he’ll mesh well with [offensive coordinator] Pete Carmichael. I think he’s got some weapons around him. I’m excited that Michael Thomas will be back and hopefully healthy — he deserves that.

I think they’re going to be well-positioned to make a run at it," Brees said. Brees believes the Saints could contend for the Super Bowl with Carr as their quarterback. “We’ve seen just what a difference one position can make on a team.

Look at what [Tom] Brady did for the Bucs. Obviously they brought in a lot of great players along with him, but that can change the complexion of things very quickly," Brees concluded.