Todd McShay suggests Derek Carr may still move on from the Saints in 2025

Does Todd McShay know something we don't know? The seasoned NFL draft expert learned a lot at this year's combine, having caught up with contacts around the league to get a feel for what's expected in this year's draft. And one player whose name came up won't be picked in the 2025 draft at all.

McShay says Derek Carr's restructure may not mean he's necessarily starting for the New Orleans Saints in September. He spoke about the potential market for Carr during a recent episode of The McShay Show.

"Derek Carr may not be cemented, in New Orleans," McShay began, "I'm not going to get into all the minutiae of it but after June 1, he may become a very interesting option for a team that is trying to contend, trying to win games, and doesn't get the quarterback that they want in free agency and doesn't get the quarterback that they want in the draft. So as a, kind of a stopgap, two-year plan."

We'll get into the minutiae, because it suggests the math for a possible Carr move this year just doesn't check out. The salary camp impact of trading or releasing Carr after June 1 is the same: $1,255,000 in savings and $19,207,000 left over in dead money on this year's cap sheet. But a whopping $59,670,000 would get punted onto the 2026 salary cap. The Saints don't have any dead money on next year's books, yet, but that's going to change once Ryan Ramczyk files his retirement papers this summer. More dead money will come in as players leave the team next offseason, either through retiring themselves or being released outright.

Instead, what the Saints have set up is for everyone to hold their noses and get through one more year with Carr in New Orleans. Then he can move on in 2026. Waiting until next offseason would allow the Saints to release Carr and immediately save $9,537,000. Using a post-June 1 designation would cut up that $59,670,000 in dead money. The $19,207,000 hit we mentioned earlier is paid on the 2026 cap and the remaining $40,463,000 gets moved to 2027. Older pros like Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, and Tyrann Mathieu may be off the books by that point so the Saints can more easily turn everything over.

So long as Mickey Loomis is the general manager, the Saints are going to try to compete. They're going to max out their credit cards and work to field the best team they can. They looked at their options this offseason and decided the best version of that team has Carr under center. That could change depending on what happens in the draft. Scouts, coaches, and executives from other teams McShay has chatted with probably did speculate about Carr's future with the Saints. Everyone involved knows it's only temporary. But unless a team makes Loomis an offer he can't refuse this summer -- something outlandish, like multiple first round draft picks -- he'll have no incentive to accept it. He certainly isn't going to cut Carr in June when doing so in March would have been easier on the salary cap. Don't expect this speculation to go away, but don't go hoping for anything real to come of it, either.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL analyst suggests Saints QB Derek Carr could still be moved in 2025

Topics

Derek Carr staying in New Orleans on restructured deal

The Saints will have Derek Carr on their roster in 2025 and likely as their starting quarterback.
Yahoo Sports - 5d
Saints restructuring Carr's contract, source says

The Saints are restructuring Derek Carr's contract to open up $30.9 million in 2025 cap space, according to a source.
ESPN - 5d
Saints, Derek Carr alter contract, signaling QB will remain in New Orleans in 2025, per report

Carr, who will get all his $40M owed in 2025, is reportedly converting most of his salary into a signing bonus
CBS Sports - 5d
Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary's prediction, odds, time: 2025 WCC Tournament Finals picks, best bets from proven model

SportsLine's model simulated Saint Mary's vs. Gonzaga in the 2025 West Coast Conference Tournament Championship Game on Tuesday 10,000 times
CBS Sports - 2d
Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis odds, prediction, time: 2025 NEC Tournament Final picks from top model

SportsLine's model revealed its college basketball picks for the Central Connecticut Blue Devils vs. Saint Francis Red Flash in the NEC Tournament Final on Tuesday
CBS Sports - 2d
Party drug MDMA may have protected survivors of Nova attack from trauma, study suggests

Neuroscientists in Israel find signs that the drug helped festival survivors in the attack and the aftermath.
BBC News - 6d
Elbow scare behind him, CJ Carr ready to compete for Notre Dame quarterback job

The Fighting Irish figure to have an open competition for the quarterback job. Here's how high-profile prospect CJ Carr recovered from an injury.
Yahoo Sports - 2h
Saint Mary's vs. Pepperdine prediction, odds, start time: 2025 WCC semifinal picks, best bets by proven model

SportsLine's model simulated Pepperdine Waves vs. Saint Mary's Gaels in the 2025 WCC Tournament semifinals on Monday 10,000 times
CBS Sports - 3d
Next Xbox Might Not Be A Traditional Console, May Launch in 2027, Per Insider

Xbox representatives have suggested that the console brand is due for a shake-up in recent months, with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer stating that the next Xbox should be " more innovative ." A ...
GameSpot - 3d

Todd McShay suggests Derek Carr may still move on from the Saints in 2025

Topics

Related

Derek Carr staying in New Orleans on restructured deal

Saints restructuring Carr's contract, source says

Saints, Derek Carr alter contract, signaling QB will remain in New Orleans in 2025, per report

Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary's prediction, odds, time: 2025 WCC Tournament Finals picks, best bets from proven model

Central Connecticut vs. Saint Francis odds, prediction, time: 2025 NEC Tournament Final picks from top model

Party drug MDMA may have protected survivors of Nova attack from trauma, study suggests

Elbow scare behind him, CJ Carr ready to compete for Notre Dame quarterback job

Saint Mary's vs. Pepperdine prediction, odds, start time: 2025 WCC semifinal picks, best bets by proven model

Next Xbox Might Not Be A Traditional Console, May Launch in 2027, Per Insider

More from Yahoo Sports

Trafford called up by Three Lions

Facing Chelsea 'not an easy task' says Cushing

Six Nations permutations: How England could win title

Pick your England XI for World Cup qualifiers

Guerschon Yabusele on his journey: Three years after being drafted, I had no team

More in Sports

Trafford called up by Three Lions

Facing Chelsea 'not an easy task' says Cushing

Six Nations permutations: How England could win title

Pick your England XI for World Cup qualifiers

Men's pound-for-pound rankings: Where does Bivol land after win? How about 'Tank' Davis?