New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr is evaluating options for a shoulder injury, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The nature of the injury is not known yet, but surgery appears to be on the table, which could limit his availability for next season. This is auspicious timing for the 34-year-old quarterback, who missed seven games last season with a fractured hand. It brings up even more questions about New Orleans’ QB room.
Looking internally is not inspiring. Carr showed signs of decline last year, throwing for 214 yards per game with a 15:5 TD:INT ratio. He’s more of a game manager now than ever, and the Saints no longer boast elite offensive talents. His 5-5 record as a starter was fine, but his $69 million cap hit in 2026 looms large.
Spencer Rattler was the backup option, and though he flashed some potential, he can’t be counted on as the answer. The former Gamecock lost all six starts while completing just 57% of his passes, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns, and getting sacked on 8.8% of his dropbacks. He was more than adequate as a tank commander but would be a rough starting option on a team full of veterans.
The likeliest route is that the Saints, armed with a new offensive-minded head coach in Kellen Moore, will look to the draft. They hold the ninth overall pick in less than two weeks and were already a popular destination for quarterbacks like Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart. If Carr remains on the roster, he could be viewed as a bridge quarterback while a rookie develops. Sanders is the more polished of the two and would be the favorite to take the Week 1 start, while Dart could use more seasoning.
There is also the chance that New Orleans will try to squeeze something more out of Carr. Signal callers like Quinn Ewers, Tyler Shough and Jalen Milroe may be available outside of the first round. The Saints may take another stab at the position while using premium draft assets on other positions. Moore may think he can make the most out of Carr while hedging his bets with another backup option.
Carr alone wasn’t holding the team back from looking to the future at quarterback. This injury only increases the likelihood of a quarterback finding their way to New Orleans through the upcoming draft. At this point, whoever is under center come September is anyone’s guess.
