NEW ORLEANS — Former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has agreed to a four-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, a personal familiar with the agreement said Monday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement with the veteran free-agent QB had not been announced.

Carr played nine seasons for the Raiders and holds club records for yards passing (35,222) and touchdown passes (217). But he never won a playoff game. And after struggling late last season, Carr was benched with two games remaining.

Carr, who turns 32 on March 28, was released by Las Vegas on Feb. 14 after he declined to waive the no-trade clause in his contract. Las Vegas needed to trade or release him by that date or $40.4 million of his contract over the next two years would have become fully guaranteed.

Saints Coach Dennis Allen was the Raiders’ coach when the selected Carr in the second round of the 2014 draft out of Fresno State. Allen coached Carr for just four games before he was fired that year.

The move provides a measure of certainty for the Saints at an all-important position that was shrouded in uncertainty for the club following its 7-10 2022 season.

Jameis Winston is under contract with Saints through 2023, but New Orleans could release him. His contract calls for a base salary of $12.8 million next season and he played in just three games in 2022 before losing his job – in part because of a back injury – to Andy Dalton.

Winston, who was hurt in Week 1, tried to continue playing in Weeks 2 and 3, when he threw five interceptions and was sacked seven times while passing for just two TDs. When Winston asserted he was healthy enough to play again and wanted another chance, the Saints stuck with Dalton, who completed 66.7% of his passes for 2,871 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 14 starts.

Dalton, 35 and a 12-year NFL veteran, is due to be a free agent this offseason.

SEAHAWKS: The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to terms with quarterback Geno Smith on a three-year contract that keeps the AP comeback player of the year in the Pacific Northwest.

The people spoke to The AP on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. NFL Network and The Score reported the deal could be worth up to $105 million.

RAIDERS: Josh Jacobs, who led the NFL in rushing last season, has received the franchise tag from the Las Vegas Raiders, a person familiar with the situation said.

Jacobs would make $10.1 million next season under the franchise tag. The sides have been negotiating a long-term deal, and if they reach an agreement by July 15, the Raiders would remove the tag.

GIANTS: The New York Giants have hired a new running backs coach and added three other staff, including the son of Coach Brian Daboll as an offensive assistant.

The Giants announced Monday that Jeff Nixon was hired as the running backs coach and Chris Smith will take over as the assistant offensive line coach. Nixon replaces DeAndre Smith and Smith takes over for Tony Sparano Jr. Both went to Indianapolis to serve on the staff of new coach Shane Steichen. Smith will coach the Colts running backs and Saprano will coach the offensive line.

Stephen Thomas was hired as a new assistant special teams coach. He spent the previous four seasons as the Detroit Lions’ defensive quality control coach. He replaced Nick Williams, who was not retained. Daboll’s son, Christian, was a student coach the past four seasons, the last three at Penn State.

VIKINGS: Minnesota started its salary cap purge by terminating the contract of veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks on Monday, ending his eight-year run with the team.

The 2019 All-Pro started 113 regular season games – plus six in the playoffs – for the Vikings, who drafted him in the second round in 2015 out of UCLA. Kendricks totaled 857 tackles, 51 passes defensed and nine interceptions. He was voted a captain by his teammates and one of the club’s most active players in community service.

The move saves $9.5 million against Minnesota’s cap, with more trimming before free agency begins next week. Kendricks had no guaranteed money left on the contract extension he signed in 2018. Cutting him costs the Vikings $1.93 million in dead money.

JAGUARS: Evan Engram will be back in Jacksonville for another season, probably longer if the Jaguars get their way.

The Jaguars placed the franchise tag on the veteran tight end, guaranteeing him a one-year, $11.345 million contract in 2023. Engram and the team have until July 17 to negotiate a long-term deal, and both sides have expressed interest in making it happen.

Engram, a first-round draft pick by the New York Giants in 2017, caught 73 passes for 766 yards — both career highs — to go along with four touchdowns last season.

49ERS: Quarterback Brock Purdy will undergo surgery Friday after swelling in his injured throwing elbow subsided, a person familiar with the plans told The Associated Press.

The operation will be done in the Dallas area by Dr. Keith Meister, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t announce the plans.

Purdy was originally scheduled to have surgery on Feb. 22, but Meister delayed it because there was too much swelling in the right elbow. Meister met again with Purdy last week and cleared him for the operation.

PANTHERS: The NFL has suspended Carolina Panthers reserve safety Sean Chandler without pay for the first two games of the 2023 regular season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Chandler will become an unrestricted free agent on March 15.