Carr Signs With Carolina

Former Houston Texans QB and No. 1 overall pick David Carr signed a two-year deal with the Carolina Panthers on Friday. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Carr was released by the Texans after Houston acquired Matt Schaub in a trade with Atlanta earlier this offseason. The first player selected overall in the 2002 draft, Carr will serve as the backup to Panthers starter Jake Delhomme, who is coming off an uneven 2006 season.

Carolina coach John Fox reiterated during the Panthers' courtship of Carr that Delhomme is the unchallenged starter, but the addition of Carr certainly provides an interesting alternative if the incumbent struggles as he did a year ago.

Carr, 27, chose the opportunity with the Panthers over one in Seattle. He visited with Carolina coaches and team officials on Monday and Tuesday, then made a two-day trip to meet with the Seahawks, where he would have also been a backup. After returning from the Seattle visit, Carr counseled with his wife and opted for the deal with Carolina.

The Cleveland Browns also indicated interest in Carr in recent days and the Miami Dolphins considered him as well. The only visits he made, however, were to Carolina and Seattle.

In five seasons with the Texans, he completed 1,243 of 2,070 passes for 13,391 yards, with 59 touchdown passes and 65 interceptions, and a passer rating of 75.3. But Carr was the most-sacked quarterback in the league during his tenure with the Texans. Playing behind one of the league's most porous offensive lines, he was sacked a remarkable 249 times.

Carr started 75 games but recorded just a 22-53 record. Between bonuses and base salaries, the Texans paid Carr more than $35 million in five seasons. When they acquired Schaub, whom they immediately named the starter, they initially hoped to be able to trade Carr, but instead released him rather than prolong his time with the franchise.

The move also means the Panthers now have the top two picks from the 2002 draft. Carolina selected defensive end Julius Peppers with No. 2 pick.