When Derek Carr signed with the New Orleans Saints, it marked the end of an era for the Las Vegas Raiders.
It also signaled a new regime in New Orleans, as Carr is now their franchise quarterback.
Dan Orlovsky has recently broken down some of the Saints’ films, highlighting a key part of Carr’s potential success.
He looked at Michael Thomas’ tape, believing that if he’s healthy, Carr has a much better chance to do well.
Carr has the chance to play really really well for @Saints @Cantguardmike stays healthy and this is a whole problem of an offense to defend!@nick_underhill @TheSaintsWire pic.twitter.com/sjAjULscif
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) August 16, 2023
Thomas has only appeared in 10 games of a possible 50 games during the 2020-22 regular seasons.
While this might not inspire confidence that he will be healthy throughout the 2023 season, Orlovsky is confident he’s the ticket to Carr’s success.
During his final season with the Raiders, Davante Adams joined the team as an all-star receiver.
Carr picked up an instant connection with him, as Adams racked up 100 receptions, 1,516 yards, and 14 touchdowns.
He targeted an elite receiver in a struggling offense, making Adams one of the top pass-catchers across the league.
Thomas’ best season was in 2019, setting the NFL’s single-season record for receptions.
If he and Carr establish a similar connection that he had with Adams, just how high is Thomas’ ceiling?
There is still a chance that Thomas isn’t fully healthy, potentially putting his playing time in jeopardy.
The good news for Carr and the Saints is that they still have Chris Olave on the roster, who is coming off a great rookie year.
If Thomas misses any time, Olave will likely step into a larger role, giving Carr another elite target as his WR1.
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