A major wrench has been thrown into the New Orleans Saints offseason: Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury.
That news is according to a report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network that broke Friday afternoon, three days before the Saints are set to begin their offseason conditioning program. The injury could potentially threaten the start of the season for Carr, who is reportedly weighing surgery.
The timing is fascinating, with the Saints set to pick at No. 9 overall in the NFL draft later this month and widely believed to be in the quarterback market. Names including Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Ole Miss's Jaxson Dart and Texas' Quinn Ewers have all been popular names mocked to the Saints.
The Saints quarterback room behind Carr consists of young draft picks in Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler, along with a free agent signing in Ben DiNucci. Rattler started 7 games in his rookie season with Carr on the mend from oblique and hand injuries, with the Saints losing all 7 games. Jake Haener started one game but was replaced by Rattler at halftime. The Saints went 5-5 in the 10 games started by Carr.
Carr has not been particularly visible this offseason, but new head coach Kellen Moore and GM Mickey Loomis have repeatedly expressed confidence in him as the Saints starting QB and that they were eager to get to work with him heading into the 2025 season.
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The Saints opted to restructure's the veteran QB's contract this offseason, meaning they are more than likely on the hook for his full cap hit. If the Saints opted to move on from Carr this season as a post-June 1 cut he would count just over $20 million against the cap, then an additional $59 million in dead cap next season.
Carr is entering his 12th NFL season, the last two of which have come with the Saints. A second-round pick of the Raiders in 2013, Carr's durability was one of his stronger traits, appearing in at least 15 games in each of his first 10 seasons.
Check back for updates.