Derek Carr’s agent belongs in Canton after another Saints season-ending injury

Derek Carr's season isn't officially over -- yet. But it could be sooner rather than later, given the terms of his contract and the team's dwindling postseason prospects.

New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi recently labeled Carr's left (non-throwing) hand fracture/concussion as a "week-to-week situation" rather than an "[injured reserve] situation." But as Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team wisely pointed out, there's more to the extent of the quarterback's absence than his health.

As Meirov states, Carr's $30 million injury guarantee for 2025 becomes fully guaranteed if the four-time Pro Bowler can't pass a physical this offseason. Notably, the Saints are already on the hook for $10 million of his salary next year. Nonetheless, they could err uber-cautiously to prevent a further and potentially detrimental investment in him.

Derek Carr’s agent belongs in Canton after another Saints season-ending injury

We've seen this movie before. The New York Giants were in a comparable position with Daniel Jones, benching him and ultimately deciding to mutually cut the signal-caller, avoiding the issue entirely. Russell Wilson experienced a similar fate with the Denver Broncos, leading to him joining the Pittsburgh Steelers. This isn't even Carr's first rodeo, considering the Las Vegas Raiders gave him the same treatment!

The Raiders shut Carr down in 2022 before eventually releasing him because of a $33 million assurance in his deal in case of injury. Suddenly, he's staring down the barrel of a parallel ending to his Saints tenure, though at least the bag has been secured already. The 33-year-old's agent, Timothy Younger of Younger & Associates, deserves recognition for brokering such large yet player-friendly agreements.

Carr has amassed over $165 million in guaranteed money between his previous pact with Las Vegas and his current one with New Orleans. Meanwhile, conditions of the massive paydays have resulted in him effectively going on sabbatical to conclude two of the past three seasons. If that's not a testament to Younger's negotiation skills, then what is?

New Orleans has a potential out of Carr's contract for the 2025 campaign if they wish to move on. Doing so would create roughly a $50 million dead cap hit, but tacking another $30 million would slam that door shut.