Free agent quarterback Derek Carr is scheduled to meet in-person with the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers in Indianapolis during the NFL combine, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

Carr has already met with the Jets and Saints, but the Panthers are a new team added to the list, with a possibility that more teams will acquire an interest in the free agent throughout the week.

New Orleans Saints

Since Derek Carr’s release from the Las Vegas Raiders, the Saints have been the first team to show interest in Carr with alreading meeting in-person. The Saints sit $30 million over the cap. They must shift the pieces around to sign Carr with an NFC South division that is wide open and will immediately become the favorite with the veteran quarterback, along with a team on the cusp of either rebuilding or win-now mode. Even if New Orleans were to solve their quarterback issue, questions have risen about other skill players. Wide receiver Michael Thomas has struggled to stay healthy, becoming an issue in the locker room. He can be traded or cut to save money while running back Alvin Kamara faces legal troubles in an alleged assault in Las Vegas in 2022. 

New York Jets

A young Jets team looking to take the next step with a balanced talent roster that came up short last season due to poor quarterback play. Adding Carr immediately puts New York in the playoff picture as they hope to snap their 12-year playoff drought. The Jets seems to be the most realistic landing spot as they want to switch to a veteran quarterback after struggling with young quarterback play. The Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson experiments failed for New York, and acquiring Carr would put the team on track to go in a different direction.

Carolina Panthers

The new team added to the race for Carr is primarily looking for a quarterback in the draft but is open to listening to offers. With a new Frank Reich coaching staff and a talented roster, the Panthers are also in the running for the NFC South division. Carolina will likely stray away from another veteran quarterback after failing to keep the same starting quarterback since 2019. From Cam Newton, Teddy Bridgewater, Darnold and Baker Mayfield, the Panthers have been through the quarterback carousel. If Carolina cannot trade up for their prospect in the draft, Carr may have to be the short-term answer for the Panthers, with an owner in David Tepper wanting to win now.

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