Saints Derek Carr Announces Retirement—Concerns Arise Over New Orleans QB Room
He played in the league for a little more than a decade. However, now due to injury he is saying goodbye. On Saturday, the Saints Derek Carr officially announced his retirement.
Derek Carr played with the silver and black Raiders as well as New Orleans. He finished with 41,245 yards and 257 touchdowns over his 11-year NFL career. Selected by the Raiders in the 2014 NFL Draft in the second round and later joining the Saints in 2023.
Regarding Carr’s retiring, the Saints released the following statement:
“Derek Carr has announced his retirement.
In late March, while ramping up his preparation for the 2025 season, Derek experienced pain in his right shoulder. It was his first time throwing a football at significant volume since recovering from both a concussion and left hand injury sustained during play on December 8, 2024. Derek immediately contacted the Saints Medical Team.
Eventually, medical scans determined objectively that Derek sustained a labral tear and also had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.
Since that time, Derek, his representation, the Saints Medical Team and outside medical experts have worked together to determine the best path forward. Surgery was an option, jeopardizing the entire 2025 season, yet there was no guarantee Derek would return to the level of strength, function and performance of play to which he was accustomed.
Upon consultation with his wife, Heather, Derek has decided it is in the best interests of both his family and the Saints organization to retire from the National Football League.”
Derek Carr also made a brief comment about his departure from the league. He says,
“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League. For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience. It’s difficult to find the right words to express our thanks to all the teammates, coaches, management, ownership, team officials and especially the fans who made this journey so special. Your unwavering support has meant the world to us.”
So then, now the Saints must ready a new quarterback before the 2025-2026 season begins. Fortunately, they got a head start by grabbing up Tyler Shough with the 40th overall pick at the recent 2025 NFL Draft. The first time in the Saints franchise history that they have drafted a quarterback in the second round. Making Shough the highest drafted New Orleans quarterback since Archie Manning.
Saints Derek Carr Announces Retirement—Concerns Arise Over New Orleans QB Room
And now with the announcement of Carr’s retirement you can see the urgency. They drafted a QB at a higher round because there was a real need. Outside of Derek, the Saints quarterback room consisted of Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener.
New Orleans traded up to the fourth round to snag Haener in the 2023 NFL Draft with the 127th overall pick. And in just 2024 the Saints selected Spencer Rattler in the fifth round with the 150th pick.
Therefore, all of the Saints QBs are young with limited to no NFL experience. Haener and Rattler combined to go 0-7 in starts for New Orleans in 2024. As a result, camp this year is going to be serious business. Can’t win games without a solid QB at the helm.
Rattler seems like the next man up. Especially, after getting locked in under contract for four years. However, if Shough shows promise he could see himself getting the QB1 opportunity sooner than later.
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