Saints and Jets schedule second meetings with Derek Carr; Panthers enter the mix

The New Orleans Saints have scheduled a second meeting with free agent quarterback Derek Carr, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and confirmed by The Athletic’s Jeff Howe. Carr plans to catch up with Saints brass in Indianapolis this week for the NFL Scouting Combine — and they aren’t the only team on his docket.

Carr will also meet with the New York Jets a second time, having previously toured the team facility just as he did in New Orleans. But a new contender has entered the mix with the Carolina Panthers penciling in their first visit with the former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback.

So this could go either way. The Saints were the first team to enter Carr’s sweepstakes and they’re still a good candidate to sign him in the end. Their creative approach to the salary cap keeps them in play even if he’s seeking a top-10 quarterback salary, and his relationship with head coach Dennis Allen is well-documented. But having habitual big spenders like the Jets and Panthers crowding the market might make it tough to cut a deal.

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Story originally appeared on Saints Wire