Derek Carr is dealing with an "issue" with his shoulder, that much is clear.
The rest, at least for now, will be left up to the imagination with Saints GM Mickey Loomis repeatedly declining to provide any additional information regarding an injury to the team's starting quarterback in the buildup to the 2025 NFL draft.
“He does have an issue with his shoulder," Loomis said in his annual pre-draft press conference. "We’re hoping to get some resolution and clarity on that in the near future and when we do I’ll report back to you, otherwise I don’t have anything more to state about Derek, but I’m open to any pre-draft questions that you might have.”
A host of additional questions were presented, all of which drew some form of a no comment. Loomis wouldn't indicate which shoulder was injured, any type of timetable or how the injury occurred. He did indicate that the issue won't change the team's approach to the draft, where they are widely expected to draft a quarterback.
“We’re looking for as many good players, great players as we can find and look, we’re fortunate enough this year to have multiple picks in the first four rounds," Loomis said, "and we’re excited about that because I think there’s some depth in this draft that will be able to help our roster.”
The decision to remain tight-lipped regarding Carr's situation adds to the deafening silence that's surrounded the Saints signal-caller this offseason. Loomis and new head coach Kellen Moore committed publicly this offseason to Carr remaining as the starting QB and the team fully restructured his contract to clear more than $30 million against the salary cap, effectively tying the team to him financially for at least 2 more years. Should the Saints choose to move on this offseason they still have to account for $20 million in 2025 and another $59 million in dead cap charges in 2026.
Carr hasn't spoken publicly since the end of the 2024 season in which he was limited to 10 games due to an oblique injury and a fractured left hand. There was no shoulder injury reported at that point, but that surfaced earlier this month in a report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Carr was said to be considering surgery to repair the issue, which could potentially cost him the season. The team has been in touch with Carr, who remained in California for the start of the team's optional offseason workouts beginning on April 14.
Should Carr be unable to play the team will have an interesting decision to make at quarterback for Moore's first season leading the Saints offense. In-house options include young QBs in Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, both of whom started games in Carr's absence last year. The Saints went 0-7 in those games.
One thing Loomis did make sure to note was the team's bevy of picks in the first four rounds, the most they've had since the 2017 season.
"We’re in the business of developing quarterbacks. We like the guys we’ve got," Loomis said. "We’re gonna draft … 9 players and they’re gonna be different positions. It doesn’t mean that we don’t like the guys at those positions that we have, it just means that we’re trying to add to the mix and create competition and make ourselves better and so I don’t think it’s any different.”
