Why it’s ‘reasonable’ Saints could make this shock offseason Derek Carr decision

Why it’s ‘reasonable’ Saints could make this shock offseason Derek Carr decision

While it remains unclear if New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr will recover from his concussion and broken left hand in time to play again this season, whispers continue to suggest the team could move on from him during the offseason even though he received a four-year, $150M deal with $100M in total guarantees from New Orleans in March 2023.

“Carr is under contract for $40M in 2025,” Graziano explained. “Of that, $10M is a roster bonus that’s already fully guaranteed and will pay out in March no matter what.

“The remaining $30M is guaranteed against injury and becomes fully guaranteed at the start of the new league year in March.

“If the Saints want to move on from Carr after this season, they’d have to release him before the $30M becomes fully guaranteed.”

Graziano added that “it’s reasonable” to believe a new coaching staff will want to select its own quarterback either before or during the 2025 NFL Draft assuming the 33-year-old can pass a physical and be released before the next league year opens.

The 2023 Saints missed the playoffs with Carr, and the club more recently endured a seven-game losing streak that resulted in the firing of head coach Dennis Allen in November.

Additionally, Carr endured multiple injury-related issues during his New Orleans tenure even before he was sidelined due to his latest setbacks.

According to Pro Football Reference, Carr began Monday ranked 12th in the NFL with a 64.2 adjusted QBR and 11th with a 101.0 passer rating this season. Across 10 games, he tossed 15 touchdown passes and five interceptions.

It’s difficult to guess what Carr’s future market will be because so much is unknown about quarterback-needy teams ahead of Christmas.

The New York Jets were interested in Carr following the 2022 season but will soon have a new general manager and new head coach. The New York Giants may also move on from their GM and head coach.

With all of that said, it’s practically a guarantee some team will view Carr as at least a bridge option for 2025 similar to how the Minnesota Vikings saw Sam Darnold this past March.

Perhaps Carr will resurrect his career away from New Orleans just as Darnold has with the Vikings this fall.