Veteran Quarterback Derek Carr’s Trade Market Is Not As Robust As Expected
Derek Carr wants back in. The NFL? So far, crickets. The four-time Pro Bowler made his intentions crystal clear earlier this month. He is done sitting on the couch if the right team comes calling. The man wants a Super Bowl ring. But here’s the thing: wanting to play and actually playing are two very different things.
No Teams Have Called the Saints About Carr
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the New Orleans Saints, who still hold Carr’s contractual rights, have not received a single trade call from any team. Carr remains on the Saints‘ reserve-retired list, which means any team that wants him has to go through New Orleans first. That’s just the reality of the situation. You can’t exactly walk into a new locker room without someone cutting a deal first.
So while Carr is out there throwing the football around, the league doesn’t appear to be rushing to his door. At least not yet.
The Vikings Buzz Is Real, But It’s Still Just Buzz
Here’s where it gets interesting. During the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post dropped a nugget that got a lot of people talking — there was “a lot of talk” in Indy connecting Carr to the Minnesota Vikings.
Carson Wentz is heading into free agency. J.J. McCarthy threw 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season in his first year on the field. That’s not exactly the kind of stat line that makes a front office sleep well at night. The Vikings have real talent around the quarterback position. They could legitimately compete for a Super Bowl with even average quarterback play. Carr, in the right system, is well above average.
But “a lot of talk” at the combine is a long way from an actual phone call to the Saints. Teams talk about everything at the combine.
What Are Carr’s Realistic Options Here
This is where it gets a little complicated, and where Carr’s situation requires some patience. Carr’s best-case scenario in the short term is straightforward: a contender loses its starting quarterback to a season-ending injury and needs a veteran with playoff experience and a clean bill of health. Carr would become the most attractive available option almost overnight.
If that doesn’t happen before the trade deadline, things get more procedural. Carr could ask the Saints to release his rights, clear waivers, and then sign as a free agent wherever he wants. It’s not ideal, but it’s a path that exists.
Jordan Schultz has reported that “teams with winning aspirations have real interest” in Carr, which directly contradicts the silence the Saints have experienced so far. Teams could be interested and simply waiting to see how the quarterback market shakes out before committing to a call. Free agency hasn’t started. The draft hasn’t happened. Kyler Murray is a rumored cut candidate. Tua Tagovailoa’s situation in Miami remains murky.
The Resume Deserves Respect
It’s easy to overlook what Carr actually brings to the table when the conversation focuses on his age and his injury history. But let’s not forget what this guy did over 11 seasons.
Over 41,000 passing yards. 257 touchdowns. A 65.1% completion percentage. Four Pro Bowl selections. He went 12-3 in 2016 before breaking his leg in Week 16, a season where the Raiders looked like genuine contenders. His 2021 team made the playoffs before losing to the Bengals in the Wild Card round.
Carr never played with a great offensive line. He never played on a team that surrounded him with elite weapons across the board for a sustained period. He was, for most of his career, asked to be the reason a below-average roster competed. And he did it more often than not.
The Waiting Game Continues
Right now, Carr’s comeback story is stuck in neutral. He’s healthy. He’s motivated. He’s on record saying he’d come back for the right situation. The Saints would almost certainly take whatever they could get for his rights, even if it’s a late-round pick. But nobody has made that call yet.
Maybe the Vikings pull the trigger after free agency shakes out. Maybe a surprise team enters the picture after the draft. Maybe Carr ends up waiting until Week 6 when some team’s starter tears an ACL and suddenly needs a steady veteran hand under center. One way or another, this story isn’t over. Carr didn’t spend a year rehabbing his shoulder just to watch football from his couch.
