The timing of the news leak that Derek Carr might be out for the 2025 season with a shoulder injury wasn't ideal for the New Orleans Saints.
Now everybody knows getting a quarterback in the NFL Draft went from a possibility for the Saints to practically a necessity.
The Saints were in a pretty good place to draft a quarterback, presumably Shedeur Sanders, in the NFL Draft. The fit seemed good from both sides. Using the ninth pick of the NFL Draft on Sanders didn't seem exorbitant. It seemed smart, taking a quarterback to develop for the future while Carr at least started the 2025 season as the QB1.
The Carr news changes the urgency. Waiting on quarterback, either for the later rounds or until next year, doesn't seem like an option anymore.
Deion Sanders, Shedeur's college coach and father, seemed to realize it too.
Shedeur to the Saints? 👀
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 11, 2025
Deion Sanders posted this after the report that Derek Carr can potentially be out for the season with a shoulder injury. pic.twitter.com/rJWhMN6AK5
Saints have a bigger need at QB
The betting odds on the NFL Draft at BetMGM aren't always predictive but they can be instructive.
Earlier this week, the prop on which position the Saints would draft first was led by quarterback at +300 odds (bet $100 to win $300). Then the Carr news came down. On Friday afternoon, the odds of the Saints drafting a quarterback first had moved to -105. Next on the list was cornerback at fairly long +625 odds.
Everyone knows the Saints don't just want a quarterback. They probably can't afford to exit the first day of the draft without one. Since the Carr news got out before the draft, now all other teams know that too. Teams sitting ahead of the Saints in the draft have more trade leverage if New Orleans wants to move up. If there are teams behind the Saints at No. 9 looking at Sanders or Jaxson Dart, they know the Saints are very likely to be looking at taking a quarterback at No. 9 or earlier if they do move up.
It's not like anyone still thought Carr was the long-term quarterback for the Saints. But now he might not be the short term answer either. That presumably puts the Saints' draft plan into focus.
