Carr: Saints move has 'rejuvenated' me

It didn't take long for Derek Carr to feel welcome with the New Orleans Saints.

After spending the past nine years with the Las Vegas Raiders, Carr credited his new franchise's culture for sparking a new fire in him.

"The foundation and the culture is already laid, I've just got to come in and be me," Carr said, according to team reporter John DeShazier. "But I've honestly enjoyed my time just getting to be me again. I think being in this building has rejuvenated me. It's been a breath of fresh air for me. I never wanted to leave Las Vegas, but when I walked into this building after the last couple of months, I'm like, 'Man, I'm glad I'm here.'"

The 32-year-old signal-caller is reuniting with head coach Dennis Allen, who was with the Raiders when they drafted Carr in 2014.

"I've known D.A. for 10 years, and you get around it and you're like, 'Man, this is what I believe in, this is what I wanted to be a part of,'" Carr added. "This organization, the family dynamic, the togetherness that they build every single day that you see from the top down, that's special."

Carr's tenure with Las Vegas ended on a disappointing note as the quarterback was benched down the stretch of the 2022 campaign. He finished the year with a 60.8% completion percentage, along with 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

The Saints are hoping Carr will provide stability to a quarterback room that's struggled to find a consistent starter since Drew Brees retired. New Orleans finished 7-10 last season as Jameis Winston started the first three games before Andy Dalton took over.