The Saints have encountered an unexpected bump in their road toward the 2025 season that could prove significant.
Quarterback Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury that threatens his availability for the upcoming season, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday afternoon.
Carr is weighing his options -- including the possibility of surgery, per Rapoport. The Saints hold the No. 9 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which could be impacted heavily by Carr's shoulder and decision on how to proceed.
Carr, 34, is coming off a 2024 season – his second with New Orleans – in which he missed seven games due to hand and oblique injuries.
Carr's 2025 has already been fraught with uncertainty. For a period of time following the early February hiring of coach Kellen Moore, Carr's future in New Orleans was uncertain, with some expecting him and the Saints to part ways before agreeing to convert his salary into a signing bonus, effectively locking them into a partnership for 2025.
That agreement solved the immediate question under center but did not resolve their long-term uncertainty. With the draft approaching, it wouldn't surprise anyone if New Orleans spent a pick on a quarterback to develop for the future, even if veteran edge rusher Cameron Jordan isn't interested in entertaining the thought as he enters his 15th NFL season.
Now, they might be forced to adjust their draft plans. If Carr cannot play for any amount of time, the Saints will be thrust back into the same scenario that hindered them in 2024, facing a choice between Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener (and in a less likely scenario, Ben DiNucci) to fill the starting job. They've already seen an ample amount of playing time from Rattler and Haener, with Rattler emerging as the slightly better option with an admittedly much lower ceiling than Carr provides.
With veteran Joe Flacco signing with the Browns on Friday, the Saints' options for a veteran are limited. Aaron Rodgers is still available but seems to be headed toward a partnership with Pittsburgh before too long.
If they must, don't be surprised to see the Saints consider a quarterback much more seriously -- and much earlier -- in the draft later this month.
