Derek Carr claims he has never spent so much time watching “random” films.
To prepare for a shift in system this offseason, the New Orleans Saints quarterback increased his exposure to games from new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s previous destinations, as well as other teams whose assistants Kubiak has worked with. Here’s a Minnesota Vikings game from 2021. A Chicago Bears outing in 2023. Carr wanted to take in as much as possible.
“I just want to be ready,” Carr added. “Our city, our team, our organization deserve that out of me.”
Carr’s thorough dive was one of several attempts to master the intricacies of Kubiak and a new offence. And now that the quarterback has been able to spend time with the offensive coaches, Carr believes the process has expedited even further. Everything has received “two thumbs up,” according to Carr.
Carr, ever the optimist, even hinted that the new Saints offence might look drastically different in 2024. At least based on what fans have come to see in recent years.
“Just the way the game is called, the way they do things, it’s going to look different to our fans,” Carr said Wednesday at the Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana. “From what they’re used to, and what I was used to last year.” It will look and feel different, but I believe it will be amazing.
“It’s beneficial for our players to help us play quickly both individually and as a team. So I’m thrilled about it.”
When pressed for more details, Carr smiled and indicated he wouldn’t totally reveal the team’s plans. He did, however, say that fans will be able to tell during practice and games.
However, the Saints’ new offence will not be entirely foreign. For starters, Carr claims the language is identical to what he learned from Jon Gruden when they worked together with the Las Vegas Raiders. Gruden also notably hired former coach Sean Payton as an assistant in Philadelphia, where both men ran adaptations of the West Coast offence. Even after Payton left the Saints in 2022, the team continued to use a variant of his offence under former coordinator Pete Carmichael.
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