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Saints Announce Derek Carr’s Retirement

May 10th, 2025 at 9:52pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Saints have announced the sudden retirement of veteran quarterback Derek Carr due to a shoulder injury.

Reports of Carr’s injury emerged in early April, though its exact nature and impact on the 2025 season were initially unclear. Scans later revealed that Carr suffered a torn labrum with “significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff,” according to the team’s statement. The 34-year-old quarterback tried an injection and rehab, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, but opted against surgery that would likely sideline him for the 2025 season with no guarantee of a full recovery.

All eyes will now turn to the Saints’ quarterback situation under first-year head coach Kellen Moore. The team was already preparing for the possibility of Carr missing most or all of this season by using a second-round pick on Louisville QB Tyler Shough in last month’s draft. Shough was considered to be one of the most pro-ready passers in this year’s class and will have a chance to start as a rookie in New Orleans. His primary competition will be 2023 fourth-rounder Jake Haener and 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler, both of whom stepped in for Carr during his absence last season.

[RELATED: Saints Planning Open QB Competition]

Carr’s retirement also comes with a complicated financial compromise. The 2025 compensation in his original contract included a $10MM roster bonus and a base salary of $30MM guaranteed for injury, per OverTheCap. The roster bonus became fully guaranteed for the offseason and triggered this past March, when his salary was also set to upgrade into a full guarantee. The Saints restructured his contract in March instead, converting the roster bonus and salary into a signing bonus to reduce his 2025 cap hit.

Now, that restructure seems to be reversed. Carr will keep the roster bonus, but the Saints will not be responsible for his salary in cash or cap space, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The team will also process his retirement after June 1 to spread the remaining dead money across two years. Essentially, Carr is forgoing $30MM that he would otherwise be owed whether he retired or underwent surgery and spent the season on the sidelines.

Carr was just two seasons into a four-year, $150MM contract signed in 2023. He went 9-8 in his debut season in New Orleans, but missed seven games in 2024 and finished with a 5-5 record as a starter. His financial agreement with the Saints will result in $70MM paid out for two years and 27 starts.

The Saints’ announcement also included a statement from Carr:

“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with [his wife] Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League. For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience. It’s difficult to find the right words to express our thanks to all the teammates, coaches, management, ownership, team officials and especially the fans who made this journey so special. Your unwavering support has meant the world to us.”

Carr is retiring after 11 years in the NFL. The first nine years of that stretch were spent with the Raiders, and the former second-rounder will be best remembered for his tenure with them. Carr earned four Pro Bowl nods as a Raider, including three straight from 2015-17. With only one playoff start to his name, though, a lack of postseason appearances and success will be a key aspect of his legacy.

The Fresno State product was reunited with former college teammate Davante Adams in 2022, but that tandem remained in place for only one year. Things did not go according to plan during brief period of the Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler regime, and Carr’s release brought about an end to his tenure in Vegas. His previous comments about retiring rather than playing for another franchise were replaced by his Saints pact, one which did not provide the desired results.

In all, Carr made 170 starts during his career, and his passing totals rank just outside the top 20 for quarterbacks in most categories. He amassed over $195MM in earnings over the course of his NFL tenure, one which has come to a rather abrupt end.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post. 

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/25

May 10th, 2025 at 8:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Miami Dolphins

  • Waived: LS Kneeland Hibbett

Washington Commanders

Hibbert joins Blake Ferguson as a long snapper the Dolphins have let go of recently. Miami signed longtime Patriot Joe Cardona yesterday, and this move confirms the 10-year veteran will handle deep snapping duties for the team in 2025.

Phillips will remain in the NFC East despite seeing his three-year Giants tenure come to an end. The 28-year-old has made a total of 47 appearances and 28 starts in his career, seeing time at guard and tackle along the way. He will look to earn a depth spot on a Washington O-line which has undergone multiple notable changes this offseason.

Buccaneers Sign 15 UDFAs

May 10th, 2025 at 7:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Buccaneers have already signed five of their six draft picks to their rookie deals. That group has seen the addition of the following 15 undrafted free agents to the roster:

Each of the three offensive linemen in this group received a notable financial commitment from Tampa Bay. Chukwuma secured a $55K signing bonus in addition to $245K in base salary guarantees, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. Scott, meanwhile, landed $265K in total guarantees including $15K up front, according to Spotrac (via Greg Auman of Fox Sports). Similarly, Wilson adds Major’s pact contains a $10K signing bonus and $250K in salary guarantees.

Auman reports Hutmacher was originally on track to sign with the Ravens, but circumstances have led him to Tampa. He spent his entire five-year career with the Cornhuskers, collecting 6.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss across the past two campaigns. Hutmacher will aim to demonstrate his disruptiveness during the spring and in doing earn a depth spot along the D-line.

Watson drew attention when he weighed in at 464 pounds during Florida’s Pro Day. When he signed his UDFA deal with the Bucs, he became the heaviest player in NFL history. Reducing that number will be a priority for team and player, although Watson never missed a game during his four seasons with the Gators.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/10/25

May 10th, 2025 at 6:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s lone draft pick signing:

Houston Texans

With Marks on the books, the Texans – a team which made history this week by signing Round 2 receiver Jayden Higgins to a fully guaranteed rookie contract – now have all but one member of their draft class under contract. Only second-round offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery has yet to put pen to paper.

Titans Sign 16 UDFA Rookies

May 10th, 2025 at 5:58pm CST by Ely Allen

MAY 16: The Titans gave significant guarantees to Jarris and Kimber, per veteran reporter Paul Kuharky. Both undrafted cornerbacks received around $200k in guaranteed money, among the highest amounts in team history.

Kimber ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at Penn State’s pro day, but his strength and technique will need to improve to play more than special teams in the NFL.

MAY 10: The success of the Titans’ 2025 rookie class will likely hinge almost entirely on the success of their No. 1 overall pick, Miami quarterback Cam Ward. Regardless, they hit on several other positions of need with the rest of their nine-man draft class and have announced the signing of an undrafted crop that will bring their rookie group to 25. Here are the 16 undrafted free agents who signed deals with Tennessee:

A lot of the focus with the UDFAs was on defense, but all three offensive signees were notable. Crenshaw-Dickson was expected to be a late-Day 3 pick based on impressive measurables (6-foot-7, 316 pounds). After three years as a starter at San Diego State splitting time between both tackle spots (18 at left, 18 at right), Crenshaw-Dickson transferred to the Gators, with whom he would start 11 games at right tackle. Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Tennessee gave Crenshaw-Dickson $245K in guaranteed money, including a $20K signing bonus, to ensure that he would land in Nashville.

Based on film and production, Restrepo was expected to be drafted in the fifth or sixth round, but a 4.85-second 40-yard dash at his pro day may have cost him. Intangibles are the name of the game with Restrepo, who, despite his lack of ideal speed or size, holds school records for the most career receptions (200) and receiving yards (2,844), over such names as Reggie Wayne, Michael Irvin, and Santana Moss. Restrepo uses instincts to feel out soft spots in coverage, physicality to block and churn out extra yards, balance and body control to get open and make tough catches, and pure competitiveness to succeed. As Ward’s No. 1 target in Coral Gables, he stands a strong chance of making the 53-man roster if that chemistry continues.

On defense, the Titans are bringing in two notable linemen. Horsley was a four-year starter in five seasons with the Eagles. He doesn’t get to the quarterback much (only 3.5 sacks in his collegiate career), but he’s shown plenty of disruption in the past three years with 15.5 tackles for loss and seven passes defensed over that time. A stout run defender in the middle, Horsley was projected to be an early-Day 3 selection as a nose tackle. Raikes held a similar role with the Tigers last year after four years at Texas A&M. The Titans gave Raikes $85K guaranteed with a $10K signing bonus on his rookie deal, according to Pelissero.

In the secondary, Harris comes from Iowa to compete for a roster spot on defense. After redshirt and pandemic-shortened seasons in Iowa City, Harris started 28 games in his final three years with the Hawkeyes. In that time, he racked up 27 passes defensed and eight interceptions.

Bears Announce 10-Man UDFA Class

May 10th, 2025 at 3:29pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bears enjoyed a draft that saw them make four of the first 62 draft picks (one in the first round and three in the second). This week, they announced that they have added 10 undrafted free agents to their existing eight-man draft class. Here are the 10 new rookie signees:

The biggest name of note here is Echols. In fact, Chicago was willing to give Echols $130K in total guarantees in order land his signature in undrafted free agency, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Echols is a hard worker who was a three-year starter for the Tar Heels. His first two seasons saw him accumulate 205 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, five pass defensed, and two interceptions. While his senior season saw a dip in his tackle numbers (76 total, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks), his coverage ability showed improvement as he logged 7 passes defensed and a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown.

That coverage ability will be tested at the NFL level, though. Part of the reason Echols slid out of the draft, despite his tenacity and effort, was because his 5-foot-11 frame will make it difficult for him to cover tight ends at the next level and his lack of top end speed (4.73 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine) will make it difficult for him to cover running backs at the next level. We’ve seen plenty of undersized backers find success in the NFL, though, and Echols will get his opportunity in Chicago.

The team also will take a chance with two specialists in Elkin and Kim. Kim faces a tall task of landing a roster spot, despite having a collegiate long of 58 yards and coming off of a year in East Lansing in which he made 19 of 21 kicks. Cairo Santos has held down the kicking job in the Windy City since 2020 with admirable consistency. He signed a four-year extension in 2023 intended to keep him in place through the 2027 NFL season, and he rewarded them last year by making eight of nine attempts from over 50 yards.

Elkin, on the other hand, stands a better shot at making a roster. The former Hawkeye will come in to compete with 31-year-old Scott Daly, who will be playing on his second one-year deal with the Bears.

Panthers Sign 19 Undrafted Free Agents

May 10th, 2025 at 1:00pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Panthers have added the following 19 undrafted free agents to their rookie class:

Fitzgerald was thought to be a potential Day 3 pick after a stellar senior year at Florida State. He converted all 13 of his field goal tries with a 100% conversion rate that led all FBS kickers with at least 12 attempts. Fitzgerald was also perfect on his 14 extra points. He will compete with Matthew Wright for the Panthers’ kicking job in training camp.

Harrison-Hunte went undrafted despite a strong showing at the Combine. He’s an older prospect who will turn 25 by the start of his rookie year, but he had just one season of sustained production at SMU after five years at Miami. Still, he earned first-team All-ACC honors in 2024 with 8.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks and will push for a roster spot in Carolina as an athletic interior disruptor.

Hudson was a rotational target at Auburn in 2020 and 2021 before transferring to UCF, where he emerged as a starter over the last three years. He scored 19 touchdowns across 34 starts at UCF, but his lack of elite athleticism and ball skills will necessitate further improvements in route-running in the NFL. Hudson will compete with several young Panthers receivers for a roster spot this summer.

Kandra started 24 games at right guard for Cincinnati over the past two years with second-team All-American honors in both seasons and a team captaincy and a first-team All Big-12 nod in 2024. He is a strong, fast blocker with a brawler’s mentality in the trenches, but his lack of flexibility and agility will limit him in the NFL. His physical traits and experience will have him pushing for a roster spot, but he may have to develop center versatility to see playing time early in his career.

The Panthers were aggressive in bringing in some of these rookies who just slipped out of the draft. Two of the cornerbacks, Thornton and Reid, received increased guarantees on their deals to ensure they sign. Thornton’s contract included $150K in guaranteed money, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, while Reid’s deal contained $100K. George, the former Hurricanes receiver, was perhaps the most sought-after of Carolina’s signees. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tells us that he received $215K in guaranteed money to sign with the Panthers, which is more in guarantees than he would’ve received had he got drafted in the sixth round.

Bills Sign 12 Undrafted Free Agents

May 10th, 2025 at 11:46am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Bills have signed the following 12 undrafted free agents to bring their rookie class to 21 players:

Bayer is an experienced center with 46 collegiate starts under his belt – 22 at Lamar and 24 at Arkansas State. He earned first-team All-SBC honors in 2023, but suffered a torn ACL in the spring of 2024. He made an extremely quick recovery, only missing the first game of the season and finishing the year with a second-team All-SBC nod. Bayer will push for a roster spot as a depth center behind Connor McGovern and Sedrick Van Pran-Granger.

Shand is a multi-sport athlete who played for Canada’s U16 National Team in 2017. He then began his football career at Arizona before transferring to LSU in 2023. He wasn’t especially productive in college, but he has the requisite size to play defensive end in Buffalo’s 4-3 scheme.

Jenkins played a hybrid safety role at Virginia Tech but will convert to linebacker in the NFL. He fits the Bills’ mold as a speedy, undersized linebacker who excels in coverage, the likes of whom have found success in Buffalo in recent years.

Porter is the son of former NFL defensive back Daryl Porter, who played for the Bills from 1998 to 2000. His son started 35 games across his collegiate career at West Virginia and Miami.

Browns Sign LB Carson Schwesinger, RB Dylan Sampson To Rookie Deals

May 9th, 2025 at 10:08pm CST by Ely Allen

Like many other teams in the NFL, the Browns got started with signing some of their 2025 NFL Draft picks today. The team announced this evening that second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger and fourth-round running back Dylan Sampson have signed their four-year rookie contracts. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Schwesinger’s rookie deal will be fully guaranteed, making him only the second second-round pick to sign such a deal in NFL history, after Houston’s Jayden Higgins.

Starting his collegiate career as a walk-on at UCLA, Schwesinger didn’t become a starter for the Bruins until this past year. After only logging 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack in his first two years in Los Angeles, Schwesinger exploded onto the scene in 2024. In 10 starts, he tallied 136 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, three passes defensed, and a forced fumble.

Though Devin Bush is dealing with an assault and harassment charge, he, Jordan Hicks, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Mohamoud Diabate are all set to return as main contributors at the position in 2024. While Owusu-Koramoah (7th), Bush (9th), and Hicks (11th) all graded out extremely well out of 84 players graded at the position in 2023, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Diabate (74th) could easily be improved upon this year.

Owusu-Koramoah is currently working his way back from a neck injury that held him out of the team’s final nine games of the season. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, though, even if Owusu-Koramoah were healthy, Schwesinger still would’ve been the pick in the second round. Cleveland will now count on Schwesinger to push Diabate for that role as a fourth linebacker, fill in should Bush miss any time because of his legal issues, or fill in should Owusu-Koramoah not get back to full health in time to start the season.

Like Schwesinger, Sampson didn’t become a starter until this past season. Despite only starting zero games as a true freshman, he logged 397 yards and six touchdowns on just 58 carries. The next year, he only started one game but toted the ball 106 times for 604 yards and seven touchdowns. Finally a full-time starter in 2024, Sampson ran the ball 258 times for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns in 13 games.

After a year in which the Browns ranked 29th in rushing and failed to see a running back eclipse 600 yards on the ground, Sampson enters a wide-open situation. Jerome Ford returns as the lead back from last year with Nick Chubb unlikely to return, as does Pierre Strong, who will play on the final year of his rookie deal. Sampson will compete with fellow rookies Quinshon Judkins (second round) and Ahmani Marshall (undrafted) to push Ford and Strong for big roles in 2024.

Here’s a look at the Browns’ draft class including the two new signees:

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/9/25

May 9th, 2025 at 9:10pm CST by Ely Allen

We saw a busy day of 2025 NFL Draft pick signings today. Here are the mid- to late-round picks who inked their four-year rookie deals:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

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