Derek Carr was one of the earliest and biggest moves for the New Orleans Saints last offseason. After watching a season that went awry, drafting a quarterback at the top of the board would undoubtedly be one of their biggest moves in the NFL draft.
However, speaking on Thursday's NFL draft edition of "Good Morning Football," Saints star Cam Jordan urged his team to avoid going with a successor to Derek Carr. Instead, he pressed the team to pursue defense, specifically a "little Florida State kid." He also pressured the team indirectly to avoid drafting an offensive tackle.
"I'm very biased," Jordan said. "If y'all thinking top ten offense galore, I'm thinking No. 14 defense. Run me the big D tackle. I like the little Florida State kid. ... Maybe I'll wait till tomorrow to give you my spin on why I don't think any team should ever draft offensive tackle."
Be the GM of your favorite team, use our free Mock Draft Simulator with trades
Of course, the mystery is who the pass rusher indicated with his hint. The most likely candidate to fit his description is edge pass rusher Jared Verse, who will be coming out of Florida State. According to "Good Morning Football" co-host Peter Schrager's mock draft on NFL.com, Verse was predicted to be selected 21st overall.
Verse received high praise from NFL.com with the expectation that he would start in his first year of action. This ranks fourth on the website's scale, with Verse sliding into the fourth-highest category. The next highest categories players can get are expectations of being a Pro Bowl talent, Perennial All-Pro and the Perfect Prospect.
However, not everyone agrees on who the Saints will choose. Sportskeeda's Tony Pauline believes the Saints will choose offensive tackle Olu Fashanu out of Penn State. If correct, this would fly in the face of Jordan's position against any team drafting an offensive tackle.
How much time does Derek Carr have on his contract?
The contract handed to Derek Carr set off plenty of fireworks for fans and analysts when it was announced in 2023. However, despite just beginning, the Derek Carr era is not far from potentially hitting the halfway mark. Without an extension, Carr's time with the Saints could wrap up as soon as the 2026 offseason after the 2025 season ends.
As such, one could argue that when it comes to regular season games covered by his deal, Carr could be done with more than half of them this season. Of course, the contract allows room to keep Carr around a bit longer.
According to Spotrac, his deal technically covers the 2026 season, but the team begins saving money with a termination starting at the beginning of the 2026 offseason.
As such, if the New Orleans Saints wish to stockpile a quarterback for multiple years, à la Jordan Love, selecting a new, young quarterback today would be critical. However, based on Jordan's desires, such a choice would go against his recommendation.
If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Good Morning Football" and H/T Sportskeeda.
