There's a good chance Derek Carr has played his last game in a Saints uniform
By Lior Lampert
Mathematically, the New Orleans Saints are (somehow) alive in the 2024 NFC playoff race, though they're hanging on for dear life. But their odds are slim to none (less than a one percent chance, per ESPN Analytics). With that in mind, Derek Carr's potential comeback from a hand injury feels like a long shot. Recent intel from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport surely validates that notion.
Sources: #Saints QB Derek Carr underwent further examination recently and he’s at least a few weeks away from being able to withstand contact. With 3 weeks remaining, a return this season is described as very unlikely.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 17, 2024
Carr has been out with a left hand fractured in two places. pic.twitter.com/YKT5Gmz8cL
Per Rapoport, Carr is "at least a few weeks away from being able to withstand contact" due to fracturing his left hand in two places. Moreover, between the Saints being all but eliminated from postseason contention and the 2024 campaign nearing an end, a return this year is "very unlikely."
Carr notably has a potential out in his contract this upcoming offseason, meaning the Saints can cut ties with the veteran signal-caller if they want. Considering New Orleans has perpetually resided in salary cap hell and is set to do so again in 2025, will they pull the trigger?
There's a good chance Derek Carr has played his last game in a Saints uniform
Cutting Carr this offseason would leave behind a $50.132 million dead cap hit, complicating matters for the Saints. Nonetheless, that's not far from what New Orleans would owe him by the fifth day of the 2025 league year. The four-time Pro Bowler's $10 million roster bonus and $30 million fully guaranteed base salary each activate if he's still on the team by then.
Rather than run it back and settle for mediocrity, the Saints can take a slight loss to part ways with Carr prematurely. Doing so allows them to expedite their well-overdue rebuild and begin searching for their franchise passer of the future. The 33-year-old isn't New Orleans' long-term solution under center, so why not get ahead of the curve?
If this truly marks the end of Carr's time with the Saints, his two-year stint with the organization will go down as solid albeit unspectacular. He has a 14-13 record across two seasons in New Orleans, posting a 68.2 completion percentage with 6,023 passing yards and a 40-to-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
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