This Saints-Steelers trade would replace Derek Carr on the fly

The New Orleans Saints were dealt a difficult blow on Monday Night Football when Derek Carr departed their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs early with an oblique tear. He was replaced by Jake Haener, the Saints' fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Not much was left to accomplish at that point, however, with Haener completing 2-of-7 passes for 17 yards in his first professional snaps.

Going into Week 6, there was some debate as to which backup quarterback the Saints should use. Haener has been listed as co-QB2 alongside rookie Spencer Rattler, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft. New Orleans has since come to a decision, though, as Rattler will take the field and lead the offense for Sunday's critical division matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

At 2-3 on the season, New Orleans runs the risk of falling behind in a tightly contested NFC South. The Atlanta Falcons (3-2) and Bucs (3-2) are both jockeying for first place. New Orleans has already lost head-to-head against Atlanta, and a loss to Tampa Bay would complicate the path to first place (and potentially the postseason) even more. It's not the best time to introduce a new quarterback with zero NFL experience, but hey, Rattler impressed in the preseason and he's a major talent.

That said, rookie quarterbacks have a shaky track record at best. If the Saints want a bit more stability with Carr on the sideline, it could behoove them to look for trade alternatives. One rather obvious trade partner would be the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A Saints-Steelers trade to plant Russell Wilson behind Derek Carr in NOLA

The Saints don't own their sixth or seventh-round picks in the 2025 draft, which complicates any potential deals built around draft capital. But, a simple swap of backup quarterbacks could do the trick. Russell Wilson doesn't carry much value at this point and Jake Haener gives Pittsburgh somebody with potential staying power. At 25 years old, he can compete outright with Justin Fields and potentially stick around as a backup next season, when Fields (and Russ) come off the books.

There's at least something there. At this point, Pittsburgh reverting to Wilson after five choppy weeks with Fields just feels futile. Neither is a particularly great quarterback and both would depend heavily on the Steelers' vaunted defense to generate stops and help Pittsburgh dominate time of possession.

At 35, Russ' value is indeed limited, but he's still a nine-time Pro Bowl QB who threw 26 touchdowns in 15 games last season. For a team like New Orleans, looking for immediate relief at quarterback, there's reason to be intrigued. Wilson should be able to pick up Klint Kubiak's offense rather quickly and he fits the profile of a contending quarterback better than Rattler, who is bound to undergo his share of rookie lumps.

The hope is that Carr returns sooner than later. He won't go on the IR, per Saints head coach Dennis Allen, and the plan is obviously to reinstall Carr as the starter once he's healthy. That means Carr is more week-to-week than month-to-month, so the window for Russ to "replace" the Saints veteran could slam shut before it really opens. New Orleans would need to get this deal across the finish line quickly, otherwise the motivation is somewhat diminished.

This trade could work out for both sides, though, giving New Orleans an accomplished vet in case of future injuries while the Steelers add more long-term stability behind Fields.