Delivering great value as a second-round pick, Derek Carr lasted 11 seasons as a starting quarterback. Among second-round picks in NFL history, only Drew Brees and Brett Favre have accumulated more passing yards. Carr’s 257 TD passes also presently edge Andy Dalton‘s 253 for third in that category among QBs chosen in Round 2. While second-rounders in lower-volume passing eras were considered better QBs as well, Carr did quite well from his No. 36 overall draft slot.
Carr did not exactly approach a lower-quality Brees season during his time with the Saints, however; that 2023 signing not panning out as the organization hoped. A compromise upon retirement will help ease the financial burden the Saints will carry as a result of the restructure-generated dead money on the QB’s contract, but the team is now without insurance in the event Tyler Shough does not prove a viable option after being chosen in the second round.
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The Saints revealed Carr will walk away after suffering significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff, stemming from a 2023 injury, and fans should not expect the 34-year-old passer to change his mind. Carr is considered “extremely unlikely” to unretire, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. The former Raiders and Saints starter is already making other plans, which are not yet known.
Considering this injury has dogged Carr for over a year, his retirement is not quite an Andrew Luck-level shock. Luck retired just before his age-30 season, doing so after he had claimed Comeback Player of the Year honors. Luck unretirement rumors never produced much of consequence, and the once-promising passer quickly drifted out of the spotlight. Carr dealt with extensive injury trouble in New Orleans, having sustained two concussions in 2023 — in addition to his shoulder malady — before missing time with oblique and hand injuries last season.
Although Carr will pass on $30MM in 2025, he has already earned more than $285MM during his time in Oakland, Las Vegas and New Orleans. If Carr unretired and the Saints did not release him in 2026, that $30MM that was to be due this year would move back into the picture for the team. The QB having encountered the injury volume he has, finding a trade partner — in the event of an unretirement — would be quite difficult for the Saints, especially considering his contract. New Orleans gave Carr a four-year, $150MM deal in 2023. That contract became more difficult to escape thanks to a 2024 restructure. Although the sides’ 2025 restructure will be modified as part of this retirement, the Saints will still have this contract on their books through 2026.
Shough joins holdovers Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener in New Orleans’ QB room, but KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson passes along a fourth option – – Hunter Dekkers — will sign on as well. Dekkers played last season at Iowa Western Community College. Dekkers had previously served as Brock Purdy‘s successor at Iowa State, starting for the Cyclones in 2022. Three years later, he profiles as an offseason/camp arm that will not bring a great chance to unseat Rattler or Haener for a roster spot. The Saints, though, have moved into their post-Carr stage by adding another QB for this purpose.
New NFL rule proposal: To retire means you will retire.
From the league where a contract means nothing unless you have negotiated guaranteed money?
We will see in another year if he wants to come back. He may still want to compete if the surgery is successful. I really felt Brady and Luck would come back but they stayed retired. Of course they had more success helping their teams win ball games.
Whatever “final” decision he makes, I hope it’s best for him and his family.
I am guessing he should be financially sound by now. He had a good/solid career. He can be proud of that and move on to the next chapter of his life.
With a degenerative rotator cuff … pretty unlikely he comes back. He probably talked with Brees.
Should be financially sound? The man has been paid over $190 million just in playing contracts, plus he has an older brother who made millions earlier. If he’s not financially sound now, he’s never going to be.
Should be, then!
I had actually forgotten about the concussions he sustained. Between that, a dying shoulder and close to $300 million in earnings… Yeah, walk away while you can still function. I’ve seen too many interviews and look-ins on former players (many of them QBs) who really paid the price in their later years for hanging on, probably for too long.
Dude retired like 12 minutes ago we already writing about him being unlikely to unretire?
“Per a source with knowledge of the situation”
Florio is a hack.
All I gotta say is if you’re dealing with an injury around your neck or shoulders… go look at what Moose Johnston looks like now. You’ve got about 40-50 years left on Earth don’t be in pain every single day of it.