Derek Carr DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Former New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (shoulder) made a surprising decision to hang up his cleats and retire from the NFL this offseason. "That part was tough because I didn't want to have surgery and just sit there andit sounds crazy butjust take the Saints money," Carr said. He had two seasons left on the four-year, $150 million deal he signed with the Saints in 2023, although he gave up the $30 million salary he was set to earn in 2025. The four-time Pro Bowler was dealing with a right-shoulder injury that was going to require surgery and leave his availability uncertain for the start of the regular season this fall. Carr said the Saints wanted him to keep playing, but he couldn't commit to another season. With Carr now gone, the Saints will have a QB competition this summer, primarily between rookie second-rounder Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler.

Everyone concedes that quarterback Derek Carr (shoulder) was dealing with a torn right labrum and "significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff," but not everyone believes it's the full story of why he abruptly retired, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Katherine Terrell. Just before free agency in early March, word began to spread within league circles that Carr, who was heading into the third year of a four-year, $150 million contract, was open to playing elsewhere. According to three league sources, one of his representatives spoke with at least two teams in the market for a QB about potential interest in Carr. A team source said Carr had a close kinship with last season's coaches in New Orleans, who are all now gone, and the Saints' plan to restructure his contract was another potential source of friction. New head coach Kellen Moore never fully committed to Carr being the starter in 2025, either, before learning of his shoulder injury. It sounds as though in addition to his shoulder injury, Carr knew 2025 was going to be his last with the Saints, and rather than trying to figure out a plan to play elsewhere, he decided to hang up his cleats.

Retired quarterback Derek Carr (shoulder) is "extremely unlikely" to make a comeback in 2026, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The 34-year-old is already making other professional plans. Carr will eventually land on the New Orleans Saints' reserve/retired list, and an unretirement in 2026 would likely trigger an immediate release of his rights given that his 2025 salary of $30 million would immediately hit the salary cap. Anything could happen after Carr is away from the game for a year and his shoulder heals up, but for now he is done playing professional football. With Carr now out of the picture, the Saints plan to have an open competition this summer between rookie second-rounder Tyler Shough, second-year QB Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. Shough is the current favorite to win the job, but Rattler has the most experience in the NFL.