Derek Carr

Saints Will Turn Back To Derek Carr If QB Is Healthy

December 19th, 2024 at 7:16pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Saints basically out of the playoff picture and rookie Spencer Rattler nearly engineering a comeback attempt on Sunday, it seemed likely that Derek Carr wouldn’t play again this season. However, both head coach Darren Rizzi and GM Mickey Loomis have rejected that notion over the past couple of days.

Earlier today, the Saints announced that Rattler would step back into the starting lineup for Monday’s game against the Packers. Shortly thereafter, Rizzi clarified that the rookie would garner his fourth career start only if Carr wasn’t healthy enough to play (per Ross Jackson of Locked On Saints). The veteran continues to recover from a concussion and fractured hand he suffered back in Week 14.

The Saints sit with a less than one percent chance of making the postseason, and the team will surely be preparing for 2025 over the next few weeks. Still, Carr could work his way back to the field, with Loomis declaring that his squad was going to “try to win every game.”

“He’s gonna be day-to-day, really, and he’s got an issue in his hand and there’s … a reason to be optimistic, but it’s a day-to-day thing,” Loomis explained during an appearance on WWL Radio (via Jeff Nowak of the station’s website). “We’re just gonna have to go along and when he gets to the point where he can function well enough to play in the game, I know … he wants to play and when he can, he will.”

While the Saints’ desire to compete down the stretch is admirable, there are some good reasons to shut down Carr for the year. For starters, only $10MM of the QB’s $40MM earnings in 2025 are guaranteed, but there’s another $30MM guaranteed for injury. By shutting Carr down now, the team can avoid the risk of re-injury and assure that Carr is fully healthy in March (when the injury guarantee would be locked in). As Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com notes, the Raiders benched Carr during his final season with the organization, mostly so they could assure the QB was healthy before the injury guarantee kicked in.

Of course, Carr’s return would signify full health, but the organization may not want to take the risk of the veteran suffering a severe injury that leaves no doubt about the impending guarantees. For what it’s worth, Rizzi shut down the idea that the team would bench Carr to avoid another injury (and the injury guarantee), with the head coach noting that the QB would already be on IR if the Saints wanted to follow that path (via Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune).

There’s still a chance that Carr is back in New Orleans next season; he’s under contract, after all. Still, if the Saints could avoid the injury guarantee, the front office would have a lot more financial flexibility as they navigate the offseason. Plus, any concern about another injury wouldn’t be completely unfounded, as Carr has dealt with a handful of injuries during the 2024 campaign.

The team could also justify benching Carr thanks to the presence of Rattler. When Carr missed three games back in October, the fifth-round rookie got three starts. The Saints went winless in those games, with Rattler completing 59 percent of his passes for 571 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. When Carr went down a few weeks ago, the team opted to start Jake Haener in Week 15, but the former fourth-round pick didn’t make it to the end of the game. Rattler took over at halftime with the Saints down by 17, and he almost helped guide the team to a comeback victory.

The Saints could be armed with a top-10 pick after the season and would be in prime position to add another young quarterback. Still, with nothing left to play for, it would make sense to see how Rattler (or even Haener) progress over the next few weeks. Based on the recent rumblings out of New Orleans, it sounds like the Saints will end up opting for the veteran if the opportunity presents itself.

Saints QB Derek Carr Unlikely To Return In 2024

December 17th, 2024 at 11:14am CST by Adam La Rose

Derek Carr is out of the lineup for the time being, and the Saints have yet to place him on injured reserve. The veteran quarterback is nevertheless unlikely to play again this season.

Further evaluation of the injury to Carr’s non-throwing hand – which is fractured in two places – has made it clear a return is not imminent, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Only three games remain in the Saints’ season, so while surgery is still not required it would come as a surprise at this point if he were to see any further game time in 2024. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football notes the door is still open to Carr playing, but he is not in the picture for now.

Carr’s absence – provided it covers the final three weeks of the season – will mark an end to his second campaign in New Orleans. The former Raider provided capable play at points last year (during the second half of the season in particular), and expectations were high for improved efficiency with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak in place. Like the Saints in general, Carr was unable to maintain a high level of play following a strong start to the season, though, and a postseason berth is not realistic at this point. The 33-year-old thus faces a strong possibility of not playing again until the start of the 2025 season.

Carr’s pact calls for a $30MM base salary next year. $10MM of that figure is guaranteed already, and the remainder will vest on March 17. As a result, a release before or after June 1 during the upcoming offseason would not yield cap savings barring a notable restructure being worked out by then. With no guarantees in place after 2025, though, Carr’s contract could set up next season as his final one in New Orleans.

The Saints have Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler in place as healthy quarterback options for now. The former started Sunday’s loss to the Commanders, but he was benched in favor of the latter. Rattler helped lead New Orleans to a rebound on offense during the second half of that game, and it would come as no surprise if he were to get the nod for Week 16. The Saints close out the season with games against the Packers, Raiders and Buccaneers, and that stretch could allow Rattler to boost his stock in the organization while Carr continues to rehab.

Saints Seeking Options For Derek Carr; QB Will Not Require Surgery

December 9th, 2024 at 4:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Derek Carr is not in the picture for the time being after he fractured his non-throwing hand yesterday. The veteran Saints passer could still be an option to see time at the end of the campaign, however.

When addressing the matter on Monday, interim head coach Darren Rizzi said time will be needed for the swelling in Carr’s hand to subside. Options are being sought out he added (h/t ESPN’s Katherine Terrell), while noting the wrist is affected as well. Rizzi said (via Terrell) a move to injured reserve is not expected at this point.

An IR stint would ensure a four-game absence and guarantee – unless New Orleans were to make the postseason – Carr would be sidelined until 2025. The door is still open to a comeback at the end of this season as things stand, with Rizzi adding (via Terrell’s colleague Adam Schefter) surgery will not be needed. For the time being, though, the Saints will again look to their other QB options.

Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener are the team’s available passers with Carr out of the picture for the immediate term. Rattler has logged three starts, but he was unable to make a notable impact in any of them. Haener, meanwhile, has made a total of seven appearances this season, including Sunday when he took over following Carr’s injury. The 2023 fourth-rounder has also failed to put up encouraging numbers during his limited time at the helm on offense.

The Saints are 5-8 on the year, so a run at the postseason is unlikely at this point. That was already the case given the team’s other injuries on offense, let alone Carr going down for at least a few weeks. Provided New Orleans does not move him to IR, however, the possibility will remain that he could return to the lineup before the season is over.

Saints’ Derek Carr Suffers Hand Fracture

December 9th, 2024 at 12:50pm CST by Ely Allen

DECEMBER 9: Carr is in fact dealing with a fracture in his left hand, per Rapoport and colleague Tom Pelissero. A multi-week absence is expected as a result, which could very well mean Carr will be out for the remainder of the season.

DECEMBER 8: The Saints’ 2024 NFL season has been a frustrating one full of streaks. Despite breaking up the streaks today with a win, an injury today could lead to another streak of losses to close the season. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, quarterback Derek Carr suffered a fracture in his left, non-throwing hand during today’s win over the Giants.

In an effort to dive over several players to reach the first down marker, Carr was upended and landed directly on his hand and wrist. This led to the initial fear that he had suffered the fracture in his nondominant hand. He ended up leaving the stadium with the injured hand in a cast, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.

The Saints began their season with two dominant wins, with the second coming against a team most thought would be a contender in the NFC. Looking back, the win over the Cowboys wasn’t quite as impressive as was initially thought, which was well-reflected in the six-game losing streak that would follow.

Part of the reason for that losing streak was the loss of Carr at quarterback. An oblique injury forced him to miss three games — all lopsided losses. With Carr out, the Saints opted to start rookie fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler out of South Carolina. In the three losses, Rattler averaged about 190 yards per game, throwing one touchdown to two interceptions. In the second and third starts of his career, Rattler saw second-year passer Jake Haener enter the game in relief of him.

It’s unclear if Carr will miss any time yet, but it’s highly likely. We often see defenders play with a club cast on an injured hand, but even though it’s not his throwing hand, it would be extremely difficult for Carr to receive the snap under center or catch a snap in shotgun with a cast on his left hand. Add in the risk of further damage with little left to play for as a 5-8 team with a difficult path to the playoffs ahead of them, and we may have seen the last of Carr this season.

If that’s the case, New Orleans will have to make a decision of whether to give Rattler or Haener more starting opportunities to close the year. Rattler has been deemed the investment piece so far but has ceded his responsibilities to Haener twice in three starts. Regardless, it does seem that Carr’s injury makes the outlook for the remainder of the Saints’ season a bit grim.

NFC South Notes: Brooks, Canales, Saints

November 15th, 2024 at 1:50pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks is expected to make his NFL debut after Carolina’s Week 11 bye, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Brooks was activated from the reserve/non-football injury list November 6 ahead of the Panthers’ Week 10 matchup with the Giants in Germany, but he remained inactive for that game. Instead, he will have to wait even longer for his first professional snaps after being drafted by Carolina with the 46th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Brooks’ debut will come against the reigning Super Bowl winners, who have held opponents to 83.2 rushing yards per game this year, the third-lowest in the league. The 21-year-old running back will likely ease into the Panthers’ game plan with teammate Chuba Hubbard ranking in the top five in rushing yards and attempts this season. With Brooks, Hubbard and Miles Sanders all signed through 2026, Carolina may consider some two-back formations to get the most out of its offense.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

Panthers owner David Tepper has made four head coaching changes since 2022, but Dave Canales is expected to keep his job despite his team’s record this year, per The Athletic’s Joseph Person. But changes on his staff could be impending with the defense allowing a league-worst 31.0 points per game and 2022 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young still struggling to develop.
Though Brian Burns was clearly frustrated with the lack of progress on extension talks with the Panthers, he did not force his way out of Carolina. “I never requested a trade,” said Burns, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. However, it was clear that the Panthers would not give him the $28.2MM per-year contract that he eventually signed with the Giants, per ESPN’s David Newton.
The Panthers needed additional salary cap space in October, so they restructured the contract of outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum. Carolina converted this year’s per game roster bonuses into a signing bonus and adding three voidable years to the end of his contract, which expires after the 2025 season, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. His 2024 salary cap hit dropped to $2.525MM with a $8.4MM cap hit in 2025.
The Saints are facing a key contract decision with quarterback Derek Carr, who has a $51.5MM salary cap hit in 2025 with $10MM in guaranteed salary and a $10MM roster bonus. The remaining $30MM of his salary is currently guaranteed for injury but becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2025 league year, per Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap. New Orleans is already projected to be $63.8MM over the salary cap in 2025, so it may need to consider moving on from Carr to kickstart a rebuild and help its financial situation. The Saints may consider benching Carr like the Broncos did with Russell Wilson last year to make sure that he doesn’t get injured and trigger his guarantees for the 2025 season.
Alvin Kamara‘s recent extension includes some specific requirements for the All-Pro running back to reach his contract’s maximum value. If he does not attend 100 percent of OTAs in 2025 – something he has not done in several years – the Saints can reduce his salary by $353,000, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. If Kamara records at least 1,600 yards from scrimmage in 2026, he is eligible for a $500,000 bonus for each Satins postseason victory that year, per Terrell.

NFL Injury Updates: Texans, Carr, Dean, Lowe

October 18th, 2024 at 7:20pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans defense played without rookie starting cornerback Kamari Lassiter last weekend, and they may be without him for a bit longer. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Lassiter is expected to miss a few more games due to the scapula injury he suffered against the Bills nearly two weeks ago.

Wilson emphasized that Lassiter is improving and that he is expected to make a full recovery with no surgery, but for now, he’s a ways off from returning to the field. Another defensive back who is expected to miss his second straight game is veteran safety Jimmie Ward, who sat out last week’s contest after aggravating a groin injury.

Lastly, undrafted rookie running back British Brooks, who was placed on injured reserve 10 days ago, has undergone successful knee surgery, per Wilson. The procedure to repair Brooks’ torn meniscus took place yesterday. He is expected to make a full recovery but isn’t expected to return this season. Brooks should be ready for organized team activities in the spring.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NFL:

After a promising 2-0 start, the Saints‘ 2024 campaign has taken a slide with five straight losses, partially due to the injury and absence of quarterback Derek Carr. Well, it appears that Carr will be out at least one more week. Per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Carr may be trying to come back by Week 8 to plays the Chargers, a team he’s very familiar with, but the team views the Week 9 trip to Carolina or the Week 10 matchup versus the Falcons as more likely return-dates for their quarterback. Head coach Dennis Allen echoed this sentiment, telling Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune that he wasn’t sure whether or not Carr would play in Los Angeles but claiming that it was “very likely” that he’s back in time for the Panthers.
After leaving this past Sunday’s game in New Orleans early with a hamstring injury, Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean has not practiced this week. Greg Auman of FOX Sports believes that Dean is likely headed towards a multi-week absence. While a stint on IR may be in the cards, the Buccaneers haven’t gone that way just yet.
Patriots left tackle Vederian Lowe is another player who left this weekend’s games early. He underwent an MRI on Monday that confirmed the expected diagnosis of an ankle sprain. While Lowe has been downgraded to out for this weekend’s game in London, New England expects to see him back in the near future, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Saints To Start Spencer Rattler In Week 6

October 9th, 2024 at 4:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

A gargantuan gap existed between the Nos. 6 and 7 quarterbacks to go off the board this year, with Spencer Rattler dropping into the fifth round. That will not stop the Saints from the rookie being their choice to replace Derek Carr.

With Carr out for “a few weeks” due to an oblique tear, New Orleans is going with Rattler, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report. The former South Carolina and Oklahoma starter will receive the nod in Week 6, being tabbed over Jake Haener as the Saints’ top backup.

Rattler will likely receive the call for at least two games, with the Saints’ Week 7 contest — a home tilt against the Broncos — booked for Thursday night that week. New Orleans hosts Tampa Bay this week. While the expectation of Carr missing multiple games surfaced Tuesday, this is the first news of a tear. This stands to significantly disrupt the 11th-year passer’s season. Carr played through a few injuries last season, a campaign that included two concussions. He has only missed three games due to injury in his career, with the most recent coming in 2017.

This will not exactly be familiar territory for the Saints. Although they needed to start Ian Book due to a COVID-19 emergency in 2021, this organization does not make a habit of using rookie quarterbacks. Carr followed Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston as the Saints’ post-Drew Brees starters. Brees, a 2006 free agency addition, was in place as the team’s starter for 15 seasons. Brees predecessor Aaron Brooks also was not a rookie when he began his starter tenure in 2000. Rattler is poised to become the Saints’ first multigame rookie QB starter of the 21st century.

The Saints have gone 53 years since drafting a quarterback in the first round (Archie Manning). That was not in play for the team this year, with Carr signed through 2026 and restructuring his deal this offseason, but Mickey Loomis and Co. did bring in Rattler after the wave of QBs came off the board in Round 1. Though, it took four more rounds for Rattler to hear his name called. Rattler went 150th overall.

Teammates with both Jalen Hurts and Caleb Williams and Oklahoma, Rattler started in between the two eventual NFL regulars. Williams supplanted him, leading to a South Carolina transfer. Rattler posted a Big 12-best 28 TD passes during the COVID-shortened 2020 season but saw Williams take his job in 2021, and while his two South Carolina starting seasons did not produce explosive offensive numbers, the experienced college starter completed a Gamecocks-record 68.9% of his passes last season.

Rattler and Haener battled for the QB2 job this summer. Despite the latter receiving a skin cancer diagnosis, he did not land on the Saints’ reserve/NFI list. Haener, a 2023 fourth-round pick, is on New Orleans’ 53-man roster but will back up Rattler this week.

The Carr component here certainly brings trouble for a Saints team that has lost three straight. The Saints’ schedule is not particularly daunting following the Bucs and Broncos matchups, with the Chargers and Panthers on tap in Weeks 8 and 9 (in the event of a Carr IR move). But the team needs to recapture its early-season form soon. Rattler being thrown into the fire will make that more difficult than it otherwise would be.

Derek Carr Expected To Miss Time; Saints Could Start QB Spencer Rattler

October 8th, 2024 at 4:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The oblique injury Derek Carr suffered last night could hinder the Saints’ offense for the time being. The team’s starting quarterback is expected to miss multiple games, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report.

New Orleans is set to play the Buccaneers on Sunday followed by a Thursday night matchup with the Broncos. That quick turnaround will make it challenging for Carr to suit up for each (or potentially either) game during that span, meaning the Saints will likely need to turn to a new starter under center. The team’s offense has generally outperformed expectations to date in 2024, so Carr’s absence will be notable.

The four-time Pro Bowler – much like the Saints themselves – had a middling campaign in 2023, his first in New Orleans. Klint Kubiak was brought in as offensive coordinator this offseason, and his work in installing a scheme much different than the one dating back to the Sean Payton era has paid dividends. Carr has posted a passer rating of at least 82.8 in four of his five games this year, with the team’s first two outings in particular yielding a major offensive output. For now, though, a contingency plan will need to be in place.

As Carr begins a multi-week rehab process, the Saints have Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener in place as quarterback options. The former impressed during the summer, one which included a direct competition for the QB2 gig. Rattler was the seventh quarterback to be selected in April’s draft, hearing his name called with the No. 150 pick (after the first six signal-callers were drafted with the opening 12 selections).

Rattler, 24, had a strong season with Oklahoma in 2022, but after a poor follow-up season he transferred to South Carolina. He eclipsed 3,000 passing yards in both of his years with the Gamecocks, but his 20 total interceptions during that span point to the issues related to turnovers which hurt his draft stock. Rattler could nonetheless be viewed as having more upside than Haener, who was drafted in the fourth round last year and did not see the field as rookie after his six-game PED suspension to open the campaign.

The Saints sit at 2-3 on the year, and last night’s loss was their third in a row. Rebounding over the next few games will be key to the team’s playoff chances as a result. That stretch will likely not include Carr, however.

NFC South Notes: Panthers, Saints, Dennis

October 6th, 2024 at 10:11pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Bryce Young may have entered the game in place of Andy Dalton during the Panthers‘ Week 5 loss to the Bears, but head coach Dave Canales told media that Dalton would remain the team’s starting quarterback moving forward.

Canales explained that the quarterback change was more about limiting Dalton’s exposure behind an injured Carolina offensive line than it was about giving Young another opportunity to earn the starting gig, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The Panthers lost starting center Austin Corbett and starting right tackle Taylor Moton to injuries during Sunday’s loss, forcing Canales to prioritize Dalton’s health with Carolina trailing by four possessions.

“We had a couple of injuries on the offensive line and wanting to get [Young] in there, get some live reps,” Canales said. “It was something where I wanted to get Andy out of there and just give Bryce an opportunity to continue some football in there while we had time.”

Canales confirmed that Dalton would start for the Panthers in Week 6, though it’s worth noting that he made a similar declaration about Young’s job safety after the former No. 1 overall pick struggled in Week 2 against the Chargers. Canales declined to offer any insight on the Panthers’ long-term plans for Young, and though his history as a quarterback-friendly coach suggests he could still get the best out of his young signal-caller, rumblings about a 2025 trade have surfaced. The Panthers rebuffed four trade inquiries already.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

The Saints ruled tight end Taysom Hill out of their Monday night matchup with the Chiefs due to a rib injury. Hill missed the Saints’ Week 3 matchup against the Eagles with a chest injury, but returned to full practice participation the following week. He then sustained fractured ribs against the Falcons in Week 4, sidelining him for Week 5 and potentially beyond. Dennis Allen (via ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell) declined to say how may ribs Hill fractured. Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson will take on a bigger role in New Orleans’ offense with Hill sidelined, but his versatility will be difficult for offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to replace. He may have to take some Hill-focused plays out of his playbook entirely with his unique offensive weapon absent from the lineup.
The Saints‘ offense stunned the NFL with its explosive start to the year, dropping 91 points on their first two opponents before cooling off in Weeks 3 and 4. Head coach Dennis Allen worked with Kubiak to simplify the offense for Derek Carr after years of complexity became ingrained in New Orleans’ system under Sean Payton and Drew Brees. Carr is making fewer adjustments at the line of scrimmage, while Kubiak has dialed up play action at a league-leading frequency.
Second-year Buccaneers linebacker SirVocea Dennis is not expected to return from injured reserve anytime soon, per Greg Auman of The Athletic. Dennis injured his shoulder over the summer but played in Tampa Bay’s first three games before leaving in Week 4 after aggravating the issue. The Buccaneers placed Dennis on IR on October 1, sidelining him through at least Week 8. Tampa Bay has relied on K.J. Britt to take on Dennis’ vacated snaps after the duo began the year splitting time on the field alongside veteran Lavonte David.
The Falcons restructured the contract of veteran defensive tackle David Onyemata recently, per ESPN’s Field Yates, creating $4.85MM of cap space. Onyemata remains tied to the three-year, $35MM deal he signed in March 2023. This update balloons the DT’s 2025 cap number to $16.93MM. For 2024, however, Atlanta now has just under $10MM in cap space, ranking 20th in the NFL.

Davante Adams Notes: Packers Departure, Carr, Rodgers

July 19th, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Davante Adams has been at the center of trade speculation throughout the offseason, although he and his agents have attempted to shoot down further rumors on that front. More has nevertheless recently been learned about the All-Pro Raiders wideout, including his arrival in Vegas and his outlook on a hypothetical trade to a third career team.

During an appearance on Keyshawn Johnson’s All Facts No Brakes podcast, Adams touched on the lead-up to his Packers departure (video link). He said he approached Green Bay’s front office about working out an extension in the 2022 offseason as he was approaching his walk year. Uncertainty loomed over Aaron Rodgers‘ future with the franchise, but Adams was prepared to sign a long-term deal regardless.

The 31-year-old said he received an offer averaging $17MM per season – a figure notably below market value for the league’s top receivers, especially in the wake of the commitments made at the position over the past two seasons. Adams replied there was “nothing to talk about” after that point, and in March he was traded to the Raiders. That deal allowed him to reunite with former college teammate Derek Carr.

Adams confirmed during an episode of Netflix’s Receiver series (via Vic Tafur of The Athletic) Carr’s presence was a central element in his desire to play for the Raiders. Of course, the veteran passer only remained in Vegas for 2022 before being released and joining the Saints in free agency. Jimmy Garoppolo served as the Raiders’ starter last year before dealing with injuries and being benched – something Adams approved of and tied his future in the organization to.

Vegas decision-makers have repeatedly made it clear no Adams trade is being considered at this time, but Rodgers’ recent comment about anticipating a reunion has led to renewed questions. The former doubled down on his commitment to Vegas while also acknowledging a trade could send him out of Sin City. In the event that were to take place, Adams would welcome the opportunity to resume playing with Rodgers.

“I’m locked in with the Raiders, and I really feel good about this team, and as far as I know they feel good about me,” the six-time Pro Bowler told Shannon Sharpe on his Club Shay podcast (video link). “If that ever changes, if that got to a point where they weren’t feeling the same way, I ain’t done playing, so obviously we would figure out whatever we needed to figure out.”

Adams added, “if I’m gonna be reunited with anybody, it would be Aaron,” confirming he would be open to playing on the Jets in the future (while repeating that it is not a scenario he currently desires). Three years remain on Adams’ contract, but an adjustment will likely be needed after the 2024 campaign given his projected cap hits and the absence of guaranteed salaries in 2025 and ’26. Plenty could change by that point, but for now he is set to play a third Raiders campaign.

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