Derek Carr has had one of the most intriguing career-paths in recent NFL memory.
He was the man in Oakland/Las Vegas for nearly a decade, becoming a four-time Pro Bowler in that stretch with four consecutive 4,000 yard seasons from 2018-21. He led the Raiders to the playoffs in 2016 and 2021, and while he didn't win a playoff game, the fact that he got that franchise to the playoffs on multiple occasions is an accomplishment in it of itself.
When he signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2023, it was supposed to be the thing that got New Orleans over the hump. However, despite a 25-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio, the veteran quarterback struggled to find consistency and chemistry with his receivers. In spite of that, as well as very few people taking the Saints seriously in 2024, Carr has found his mojo, and he did it very quickly.
After an 11-of-16, 243 yards and two touchdown performance in a 44-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Carr is currently leading the NFL in EPA per play, adjusted EPA per play, and EPA+CPOE composite. He is also the No. 1 graded quarterback by PFF, and his 11.4 yards per attempt are nearly two yards higher than second-place Baker Mayfield. Overall, he has thrown five touchdowns and 443 yards through two games.
To put this into perspective, he finished 20th in EPA+CPOE composite last season. He was 29th in the league in EPA per play - one spot behind Taysom Hill. He was 27th in success rate. All of this is to say that this massive turnaround quite literally right away under Klint Kubiak is nothing short of extraordinary. Will the Saints' offense cool down a bit? Certainly - they aren't going to score 40 points per game. However, Carr's resurrection has been nothing short of amazing, and we could be seeing an unlikely MVP candidate emerge from the ashes.
