BakoSaint

I just saw these recent interview quotes from Carr regarding his pursuit by the Saints and Jets.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profoo...the-right-time

I found this portion interesting “The thing which was different in that situation was like Aaron is a nine billion-time MVP, right? But you still have to trade for him, whereas I’m free, and you can still keep those picks,” Carr said. “I was not asking for as much money as whatever they say your market is. I was like, ‘I don’t want to do that, because wherever I go, man, I just want to win. So use the money. I don’t care.’”

To me this quote seems to imply that A. Derek Carr gave the Saints a discount because he wanted to win and B. Even at full market value Derek Carr knew his market value was less than 'nine billion-time MVP' Aaron Rodgers.

The thing is, its just not true, Carr got the Saints to pay the same average per year for him that the Jets paid for Rodgers, $37.5 million per year. Carr got 4 years $150 million, Rodgers got 3 years $112.5 million. Guaranteed money was also similar proportional to the lengths of the contracts.

For comparison, Jimmy G got 27.5 million per year from the Raiders in the 2023 offseason. After being replaced by Jared Stiham and cut in very similar manner to Carr, Russell Wilson got $1 million from the Steelers the next year. I think Carr's 'market value' would have been somewhere in the middle of Rodgers and Garappalo, so perhaps 32.5 million per year could be his market value, and surely the Jets would not have been happy to pay Carr as much as they paid Rodgers.

A year later Kirk Cousins got $45 million per year, but that was after the cap went up 13.6%, so adjusting for that its like Cousins got $40 million per year in 2023 dollars. Cousins is generally ranked a step above Carr on all QB rankings and his team didn't cut him, they got outbid, so it makes sense Carr would earn 10-25% less than Cousins, whereas cap adjusted he only got about 5% less.

Looking at comps of free agent, cut, and traded veteran QBs, I can't find any evidence Carr gave the Saints any discount. If anything, his agent worked wonders compared to the agents for Rodgers, Garoppolo, and Cousins.

I think this is interesting. Does Carr really think he gave the Saints a discount? Was he getting mixed up and was willing to give the Jets a discount but not the Saints? Or is Carr just full of BS and willing to lie to all our faces knowing he went to the highest bidder for the max he could get and just likes lie about wanting to win?