ESPN reports “a Derek Carr representative spoke with at least two teams in the market for a quarterback” this offseason.
This news comes from an article published by Jeremy Fowler and ESPN’s Saints writer, Katherine Terrell. According to the article, folks around the league do believe Carr is injured, but “not everyone believes it’s the full story” of why Carr opted for retirement. While Carr did not have permission to speak to teams, it’s reported that the team “didn’t consider it a major issue” due to his 11-year tenure in the league, and the fact that 2025 was the last year he would be receiving guaranteed money on his deal. In short, the Saints were likely headed for a split one way or another after the 2025 season. There are also some who believe that Carr and the Saints were not on good terms, in part due to his lack of a relationship with newly minted head coach Kellen Moore, who never officially committed to Carr as a starter. The two never even had a meeting in person. It’s been reported by ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio that it’s “extremely unlikely” Carr will return to play in 2026 — or ever again. That said, if his injured shoulder isn’t the sole reason for his departure, we can’t rule out a potential return if Carr, 34, gets the itch to play again.