Derek Carr Praises Defensive Leaders for Presence and Consistency

Carr knew the Saints had strong leadership on defense, now he gets to appreciate it up close and personal.

Author:
Ross Jackson
Publish date:
May 24, 2023 11:30 AM EDT

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New Orleans Saints

Organized Team Actives (OTAs) may be voluntary, but one could assume that no one told the New Orleans Saints that. With 80 of their 89 rostered players present, the Saints had the large turnout head coach Dennis Allen promised a week before. A large part of that attendance comes down to veteran leadership. If they show up, the rest of their position group tends to do so as well.

Such an effect was evident as OTAs kicked off on Tuesday. Key veteran leaders like safety Tyrann Mathieu and defensive end Cameron Jordan were not only present, but participating. For new starting quarterback Derek Carr, this display of leadership from his new teammates deepened the respect he already had for them.

"Well I would say the thing that I’ve been most impressed with with those guys is that they’ve been here," Carr said. "Those guys are proven. Those guys are.. some are champions. They’ve played at the highest level, Pro Bowls and all that kind of stuff and they’ve been here. That says a lot to me."

And not only were those defensive stalwarts present, but they were fully involved throughout the practice. Participating every step of the way. That also stood out to Carr. "You know, we’re out here at practice, they’re in the practice," Carr said. "They’re playing, you know? They’re not just doing nothing and they’re in the individual drills. They’re coaching, they’re pushing. You can tell all they want to do is win."

In a season where many expected the Saints to simply "blow it all up" and start over, the organization went in an entirely different direction. They chose to reload and compete. It seems that the players, from those in their first years to those who have been working for over a decade, winning is the focus. Examples like this prove that mentality.

During Carr's introductory press conference he spoke passionately about his leadership style but also his intent to not step on toes of already established team leaders. He specifically mentioned players like Jordan and Mathieu along with linebacker Demario Davis and running back Alvin Kamara. Now he gets to see it all play out firsthand.