Carr's discussion of shoulder surgery may be related to dissatisfaction with the Saints and a desire to be released, according to Mike Triplett and Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
Carr reportedly preferred to be released earlier this offseason, but the Saints instead did a simple contract restructure to shift more of his cap hit to future seasons without adding/removing money. It was then revealed last week that the 34-year-old QB is considering surgery for a previously unreported shoulder injury, and with a recovery timeline that could keep him out for the start of the 2025 season. It's hard to say exactly what's going on here, but it is clear that fantasy managers shouldn't assume Carr will be the Week 1 starter in New Orleans under new head coach Kellen Moore. The other options under contract are Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and Ben DiNucci, which makes the Saints a top candidate to draft a QB on Day 1 or 2 next week.
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Saints' Derek Carr: May require shoulder surgery
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Carr (shoulder/hand) is nursing a shoulder injury that may require surgery and could impact his availability for the 2025 season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Carr, who missed seven games in 2024 (including the Saints' final four contests) due to a left oblique injury and a fractured left hand, is now dealing with an injury that could significantly impact the Saints' coming season, as well as the team's decisions in April's draft. Further details regarding the veteran signal-caller's injury should be forthcoming, but Rapoport reports that surgery is among the options being considered by Carr and New Orleans. With only Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and Ben DiNucci currently available behind Carr on the depth chart, the Saints figure to be increasingly motivated to explore remaining free agency options at quarterback, and the team's decision at No. 9 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft could now more realistically trend toward the position.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Restructuring contract with NOLA
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Carr (hand) and the Saints are working toward converting most of his money into a signing bonus to create salary cap space, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Carr and the Saints have spent multiple weeks discussing options on how to reduce the quarterback's salary cap hit. Converting Carr's salary to a signing bonus appears to be the route the two sides are going and will clear up about $30 million in cap space, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, and all but guarantees that the 2014 second-round pick will return to New Orleans for a third season. Carr missed seven games in 2024 due to a left oblique injury and a fractured left hand, and he finished the regular season completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions across 10 games.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Viewed as starter
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Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said Wednesday that he views Carr (hand) as the team's starting quarterback heading into the 2025 season, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.
Loomis said that he believes the Saints "can win with" Carr, echoing the tone of new head coach Kellen Moore, who said earlier this month that the 33-year-old is a "tremendous starting quarterback in this league." Regardless of New Orleans' enthusiasm, Carr's $51.4 million cap hit for 2025 poses a significant hurdle that the team will have to address in order to maneuver properly in free agency. Terrell reports that restructuring Carr's contract could free up $31 million in cap space for the 2025 season, at the cost of making his cap hit in 2026 -- the final year of his contract -- roughly $69 million. Carr is recovering from an injury-riddled campaign in which he most notably missed the final four games of the season due to a broken bone in his non-throwing hand.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Not spotted at practice
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Carr (left hand) isn't present for the start of Friday's practice, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
It isn't yet clear if the Saints will rule Carr out Friday or further extend the charade of him possibly returning this season to play through a broken hand for a 6-11 team. Either way, Spencer Rattler likely will be under center for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay.
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Saints' Derek Carr: No practice Thursday
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Carr (left hand) didn't take part in practice Thursday, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Carr thus will have one more opportunity to prove the health of his left hand Friday, or else risk missing a fourth game in a row to end the campaign. Spencer Rattler is lined up for another start under center for the Saints if Carr ultimately is inactive Sunday at Tampa Bay.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Doesn't practice Wednesday
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Carr (hand) didn't take part in practice Wednesday, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Carr continues to tend to a fractured left hand that he suffered in a Week 14 win over the Giants, missing the last three games as a result. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi said Monday that the Saints will evaluate Carr as the week goes on to determine whether he has a chance to play Sunday at Tampa Bay, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. If Carr doesn't progress enough in his recovery, though, Spencer Rattler would be in line for a third straight start this weekend.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Could play in season finale
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The Saints will evaluate Carr (hand) this week to determine if he will play in Sunday's Week 18 game against the Buccaneers, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Per interim head coach Darren Rizzi, Carr simulated some game-like situations last week but wasn't far enough along to suit up against his former club, the Raiders. It's likely Carr will go through a similar assessment this week before his status for the Saints' season finale is determined. New Orleans probably isn't going to push the envelope with Carr given that the team is out of playoff contention, and if the veteran quarterback can't play, Spencer Rattler likely will get another start.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Ruled out for Week 17
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Carr (hand) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Raiders, Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
Carr still hasn't practiced since suffering a concussion and a left hand fracture Week 14 at the Giants. He seemingly cleared concussion protocol last week and reportedly doesn't want to be shut down for the season, but it won't come as any surprise if he also ends up missing Week 18. Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will start this Sunday against the Raiders.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Not practicing yet
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Carr (left hand) was a non-participant at Thursday's practice.
For a second week in a row, Spencer Rattler continues to take first-team reps with the Saints offense, per Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana, while Carr focuses on rehabbing his left hand, which suffered a fracture Week 14 at the Giants and has sidelined him the last two games. According to interim coach Darren Rizzi, Rattler will start Sunday against the Raiders if Carr is unavailable, something that may be confirmed as soon as New Orleans posts its final injury report of the week Friday.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Not practicing to begin Week 17
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Carr (hand) was listed as a non-participant on Wednesday's estimated injury report.
At the time Carr was ruled out for a second game a row this past Saturday, interim head coach Darren Rizzi said the veteran quarterback still was regaining strength in his non-throwing hand after fracturing it in a Week 14 win over the Giants, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football. Rizzi told Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana on Tuesday that Carr wants to play again this season, but another absence from practice Wednesday doesn't have him trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday's contest against the Raiders. Spencer Rattler will continue to prepare as the starter for that game, so Carr may be the No. 2 quarterback, at best, if he's cleared to return this weekend.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Not shut down for season
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Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said Carr (hand) is still attempting to come back and play this season, though the quarterback's status for Sunday's game against the Raiders hasn't been decided, Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana reports.
Rizzi confirmed that Spencer Rattler will make a second straight start this weekend if Carr is unable to make enough progress in his recovery from a fracture to his non-throwing hand to play Sunday. With a 5-10 record, the Saints are eliminated from playoff contention, but Carr may have some motivation to play through the hand fracture against the Raiders, with whom he spent the first nine seasons of his career. Carr's involvement in practices this week will likely go a long way into determining whether or not he suits up Sunday.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Missing practice again
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Carr (hand) isn't practicing Friday, Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana reports.
Carr is considered unlikely to play Monday at Green Bay, but Saints coach Darren Rizzi hasn't ruled the QB out and recently pushed back on the notion of Carr being shut down for the rest of the season. Rizzi said Carr likely would need to practice Saturday to have a chance to start Monday night.
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Saints' Derek Carr: DNP on Thursday, still may play Monday
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Interim coach Darren Rizzi said that if Carr (hand), who didn't practice Thursday, isn't able to play Monday in Green Bay, Spencer Rattler will be under center for the Saints, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Rizzi added that Carr probably will need to practice by Saturday in order to have a chance to suit up Week 16. Additionally, Rizzi pushed back at reports that Carr likely won't return this season, telling Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune, "Derek Carr wants to play this season. There is zero doubt about that. ... So, therefore, that's why this is day-to-day." In the event that Carr doesn't do enough to put an end to a one-game absence Monday, Rattler will get the start, while Jake Haener will serve as his backup.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Unlikely to return this season
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Carr (concussion) underwent further examination of his fractured left hand and is considered a few weeks away from being cleared to take contact, making it unlikely that he'll play again this season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Carr has two different fractures in his non-throwing hand, in addition to the concussion that sidelined him for this past Sunday's 20-19 loss to the Commanders. While not yet eliminated from playoff contention, the 5-9 Saints are long shots to clinch a postseason bid and thus have little incentive to rush Carr back onto the field. Jake Haener stepped in as the starting quarterback in Week 15, but he completed just four of 10 pass attempts for 49 yards and an interception before being benched in the second half in favor of Spencer Rattler. Rattler led the Saints to four scoring drives in the final two quarters to nearly complete a comeback from a 17-0 deficit, so he could be in the driver's seat to replace Carr as the starter in New Orleans' Week 16 matchup with Green Bay on Monday.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Availability for Week 16 uncertain
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Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said Monday it's too soon to project whether Carr (hand/concussion) will have a chance of suiting up versus the Packers on Dec. 23, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.
Rizzi said it "wouldn't be a reach" for Carr to retake the field before the conclusion of the regular season, though it remains to be seen whether a road matchup with the Packers on Monday Night Football will be a realistic target for the veteran quarterback. Carr is nursing a fracture in his left, non-throwing hand and is simultaneously working his way through the concussion protocol. Jake Haener was benched early in Sunday's loss to the Commanders, while Spencer Rattler nearly led the team to a comeback win after entering the game.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Officially inactive Sunday
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Carr (hand/concussion) is listed as inactive Sunday against the Commanders, Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
Per Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com, Carr also isn't available as the Saints' emergency third quarterback, indicating that he hasn't made his way through the concussion protocol, at the very least. Carr also is dealing with a fracture in his left, non-throwing hand, so it may be some time before he receives clearance for game action. Jake Haener will get the spot start in place of Carr on Sunday, while Spencer Rattler will serve as the backup.
Carr (hand/concussion) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Commanders, Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.
Carr hasn't practiced this week, and while it's possible he clears concussion protocol by Sunday, the Saints have already named Jake Haener as their Week 15 starter. If anything, Carr likely would just be available as the emergency No. 3 QB, behind both Haener and Spencer Rattler.
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Saints' Derek Carr: No practice Wednesday
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Carr (hand/concussion) didn't practice Wednesday, John Hendrix of SI.com reports.
Carr fractured his left hand in this past Sunday's win over the Giants and also entered the concussion protocol afterward. As of Wednesday, he's still dealing with swelling in his non-throwing hand, and interim head coach Darren Rizzi considers Carr's situation to be "day-to-day, week-to-week," per Matthew Paras of The New Orleans Times-Picayune. Both Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler took first-team reps at Wednesday's practice, and an announcement on which of the two will be the Saints' starting quarterback in place of Carr on Sunday versus the Commanders is expected to be made by Friday, according to Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football.
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Saints' Derek Carr: Week-to-week, won't go on IR
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Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said Monday that Carr (hand) is considered week-to-week due to his hand fracture and is not expected to be placed on IR, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports. Rizzi also relayed that Carr is in the NFL's concussion protocol.
Rizzi noted the fracture to Carr's left, non-throwing hand currently doesn't appear as though it will require surgery, Ross Jackson of WWL Louisiana reports. The interim head coach also said it's possible that Carr could start Sunday's game against the Commanders even if he's unable to practice this week, per Sean Fazende of Fox 8 New Orleans. It would be a tall task, though, for the veteran signal-caller to both clear the five-step concussion protocol fully and reach a level of comfort with his injured hand to handle full contact and play Week 15. If Carr isn't able to suit up versus Washington, starting duties will fall to one of Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler.
