This time a year ago New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr was asked whether it was important to him to get snaps in the preseason, and he left the answer open ended. He'd do whatever the team wanted him to, but it wasn't critical that he get those extra snaps.
It's a much different conversation this time around, ahead of the opening matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
"I would like to [play], just – I think just getting out there and just hearing [new OC Klint Kubiak's] voice in the helmet, calling plays, getting the substitutions in and out, I think that’d just be good for us as an offense," Carr said.
One big difference this time around is that it's everyone learning the new scheme, not just the quarterback added in free agency to an existing system. We've seen that process play out throughout this year's training camp, with a lot more motion, new play calls and different language that goes into making them. The question not only goes for Carr, but also his rebuilt offensive line and some new pass-catchers.
"I think just the operation and just getting in and out of the huddle with each other, getting used to it, getting back in that swing," Carr said. "I think, hopefully, you knock some of that gameday kind of rust off before you really get to the regular season.”
Carr did see action in last year's preseason opener, leading a touchdown drive at the Caesars Superdome against the Kansas City Chiefs. As of Thursday it remains unclear whether that'll be the case again, with head coach Dennis Allen indicating those meetings and decisions will occur Thursday evening.
The coach said he didn't want to make any comments on that front until he'd informed the team who would be doing what on both sides of the ball.
"I’ve got some thoughts in my mind that I think prior to doing anything or making any type of statement," Allen said. "I think we’ll go in, we talk about it with the staff, personnel guys and we’ll have a good plan as to what we want to do.”
Whether the starters play or not, that'll just be one small answer in a three-game slate with plenty of questions in mind. These games will be far more important for players like Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener as they vie for the backup QB job. These games will go a long way toward making that decision.
“I [want to see] both of those guys going out and proving that they can operate the offense, you know, get the plays call, get in and out of the huddle, get to the line of scrimmage, you know, get the snap off, go through our progressions, all those are the things that you’re really looking for," Allen said. "What kind of poise do these guys play with, you know? When the lights are on and the crowd is going, you know, can they, you know, do they go to playing playground football, you know, or do they play with poise and composure and operate the offense the way that it was intended to be operated."
There will also be depth questions, with 16 players held out of Thursday's practice with a variety of injuries. It's likely that only five or six wide receivers will be available. Both starting corners in Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo have missed multiple days with injuries, as have both starting linebackers in Pete Werner and Demario Davis. In the end that likely will mean all the work that can be handled for depth players fighting to land on the right side of the roster bubble up and down the roster. There may even be players asked to play out of position, whatever it takes.
"I’d say that wouldn’t be uncommon for some of these preseason games. I mean, I know there’s been times in the past where we get in a preseason game and we’re down linebackers and now all of a sudden there’s a safety playing the will linebacker position and he’s never lined up there before in his life, or a safety going out and having to play corner, he’s never done that before in his life," Allen said, "so yea, we may have to adjust some.”
The Saints travel out to Arizona on Friday and will kick off against the Cardinals at 7 p.m. (central).
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