New Orleans Saints' 2023 free-agent signings: Derek Carr coming to NO - New Orleans Saints Blog- ESPN

NEW ORLEANS — NFL free agency is off and running, and the New Orleans Saints are the first team to make major waves with the addition of former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.

The new league year officially begins at 4 p.m. ET March 15, which means free agent signings can be made official after that, but because Carr was released Feb. 14, he automatically became a free agent eligible to sign without having to wait.

This means the Saints get their quarterback ahead of the the 2023 NFL draft on April 27, where they now have a first-round pick after trading the rights to former coach Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos this offseason.

Here is where we will have a breakdown of every 2023 NFL free agent signing by the Saints, and how each will impact the upcoming season:

The deal is for four years, per the NFL Network, but it will not become official until the Saints are under the salary cap.

• Early Power Rankings for 2023 season » Rebuild index: Tiering each team » Ranking top 50 free agents » Offseason guide for all 32 teams »More free agency » | More draft »

What it means: The Saints become likely become the front runners in the NFC South. New Orleans has struggled on offense since quarterback Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season and has made attempts to find a replacement, going after Deshaun Watson last year and playing Taysom Hill, Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston, among others. This gives the Saints their starter for several years and allows them to focus on adding other offensive weapons. It's the first sign of consistency at the position in several years, and the move could affect whether Michael Thomas ends up staying a Saint. The wide receiver's future has been up in the air since his contract was