The New Orleans Saints made some moves this offseason, retaining some of the talent already on the roster, whether it was pass rusher Chase Young or tight end Juwuan Johnson. But the team also restructured the contract of quarterback Derek Carr, ensuring that he would be on the roster in 2025.
With new head coach Kellen Moore, there was intrigue as to whether or not Carr can improve in his new coach's scheme. But on Friday, the Saints were dealt a punch to the gut.
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury that "threatens his availability for this season." Rapoport says that Carr is weighing his options for how to care for the injury, including surgery.
The #Saints suddenly have a major QB question: Starter Derek Carr is now dealing with a shoulder injury that threatens his availability for this season, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 11, 2025
Carr is weighing options, including the possibility of surgery. pic.twitter.com/QNdc9ipE8P
With this shocking news two weeks before the NFL Draft, one has to wonder if drafting a quarterback has become much more necessary than before. One quarterback the team has been linked to quite a lot recently is Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.
Shedeur Sanders becomes a much more logical draft pick for Saints after Derek Carr injury update
With the NFL Draft less than two weeks away, one absolute given is that the Tennessee Titans will draft Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall pick. From there, the next-best quarterback available is easily Sanders.
Earlier this offseason, Sanders was mocked frequently to either the Cleveland Browns or New York Giants with the second and third overall picks, respectively. Yet, that isn't exactly a given now with the latest buzz that both teams could opt for either Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter, the two best players in the entire draft. With that, Sanders has fallen down the board a bit, but it stopped at the No. 9 spot, currently held by the Saints.
Sanders may not have the arm strength that NFL teams desire, but he has incredible accuracy and puts the football in a spot where his wide receiver can catch it. This past season, Sanders completed 74.0 percent of his passes, which led all FBS quarterbacks. Additionally, Sanders threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Carr's stint with the Saints hasn't gone as many had hoped. In 2023, Carr led the Saints to a 9-8 record, narrowly missing out on the playoffs. Then, this past season, Carr suffered a fractured hand and an oblique injury, limiting him to just 10 games played.
In two seasons, Carr has thrown for 6,023 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions while completing 68.2 percent of his passes. Carr has a 14-13 record as the Saints' starting quarterback.
With Carr's status for the 2025 season in flux, it wouldn't be entirely surprising if the Saints use their first round pick on a quarterback. If Sanders is available, he is the most pro-ready. We'll see how the board shapes up when the Saints are on the clock on Apr. 24, but with Carr's injury looming over the team, do they end up taking a quarterback over the best player available?