New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is at risk of missing part of the 2025 season.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Carr suffered a shoulder injury that "has put his availability for 2025 in doubt." The 11-year NFL veteran is considering surgery to deal with the issue.
Carr was set to enter the penultimate season of a four-year, $150 million contract he signed with New Orleans in 2023, and the Saints had just converted most of his 2025 salary into signing bonus money last month.
He led the team to a 9-8 record in the first year of his contract. In 2024, Carr missed seven games due to injuries to his oblique and (non-throwing) hand.
The Saints finished the 2024 season with a 5-12 record – they went 5-5 in games Carr started.
As owners of the No. 9 overall pick, New Orleans was already considered a potential landing spot for a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, especially if Colorado's Shedeur Sanders drops out of the top three. With Carr's sudden shoulder injury, the quarterback position could become a much more pressing need for the Saints.
Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener are currently the second- and third-string quarterbacks, respectively, on New Orleans' depth chart. The two went a combined 0-7 in starts filling in for Carr in 2024.
In 27 games over two seasons with the Saints, Carr has a 68.2% completion rate, 6,023 passing yards, 40 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
The 2025 NFL draft, which will take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin this year, begins Thursday, April 24 with its first round.
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