Saints QB Derek Carr says unceremonious departure from Raiders motivated him: 'It lit a fire in me'

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The Saints new quarterback, Derek Carr, is looking forward to a fresh start in New Orleans. 

During a lengthy introductory press conference on Saturday, the 31-year-old detailed his nine-year tenure with the Raiders organization. 

Carr also expressed excitement about what his future with the Saints could hold. One of the players Carr looks forward to building a strong on-field rapport with in 2023 is wide receiver Michael Thomas.

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Quarterback Derek Carr #4 of the Las Vegas Raiders speaks during a news conference after the first day of mandatory mini camp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on June 07, 2022, in Henderson, Nevada.  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The Saints restructured Thomas' contract in January, and he could ultimately leave for a different NFL team. But Carr seemed to have the expectation that he would be throwing passes to the receiver when the season kicks off.

Carr and Thomas have built a good off the field relationship and were in touch as the veteran quarterback navigated the free agency process.

NFL STAR DEREK CARR HAS BRILLIANT PUNISHMENT FOR XFL PLAYERS INVOLVED IN MELEE

 "When he started recruiting and talking to me, he wasn't even trying to recruit me, he was just like, 'When are we getting to work? We're wasting time, time is ticking,'" Carr said. 

"I was like, 'Dude, I'm the same way. We'll get there.' But I think that our relationship has grown through the process, and I'm looking forward to hopefully making that relationship grow even stronger."

The Saints also re-signed tight end Juwan