Back in 2023, Derek Carr pushed through a sprained AC joint and played the whole season without missing a game. But in 2024, things got rough. An oblique injury took him out for three weeks, and then came the concussion and a hand injury that sidelined him from Week 15 through 18. Since then, the New Orleans Saints have been pretty quiet about it all. However, one thing’s been obvious from the start – they’ve always wanted a reliable quarterback. But that hope might see its death now.

Derek Carr’s shoulder might be a bigger problem than anyone hoped. Reports say it could even put his 2025 season in doubt. That’s not the kind of news the Saints wanted, especially with offseason training starting Monday. And with Kellen Moore now taking charge as head coach, it just adds more uncertainty. Hence, as per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, this has brought a sense of urgency to select a QB in the NFL 2025 draft. But there could be an upcoming problem!

During a segment on “Path to the Draft,” Rapoport highlighted, “The New Orleans Saints have been doing research on the quarterback position, homework on the quarterback position, since early, early this season. My understanding is that they have been scouting the top quarterbacks since when the college season began. So this is not new.” Translation: They need to hurry.

According to the sportswriter, Kellen Moore’s team originally hoped to be picking much later in the draft—because that would’ve meant the season went well, Dennis Allen was still in charge, and they had a winning record. But clearly, that wasn’t the case. Even with Derek Carr locked in as their 2025 starter, they knew deep down they needed a long-term solution. Now, that need feels even more urgent.

Rapoport said, “I would say, the last couple weeks, when it became clear that Derek Carr’s shoulder injury has not healed like anyone thought, and he is now weighing options, trying to figure out, is he going to have surgery? Certainly, I would say his status for the 2025 season is in doubt, which means the New Orleans Saints now have a very realistic possibility of considering quarterback at nine.” But… Yeah, there is a but!

This also means, “why Panthers general manager Dan Morgan, who has number eight, was talking to reporters earlier today and said, yeah, I think he’d be open to moving back if someone wanted to come up and trade over the New Orleans Saints.” So, that means when the Carolina Panthers’ GM says he’s open to trading down, it’s like putting up a “For Sale” sign on the pick right before the Saints. That hurts Carr’s team because it gives other QB-needy teams a chance to jump the line.

So, if the Saints have their eye on a specific quarterback at No. 9, some team could call the Panthers, move up to No. 8, and snatch that QB right before New Orleans gets the chance. It would definitely be a painful move for the Caesars Superdome team.

But if things fall into the right place for the franchise, as per Mel Kiper, the team could get a chance to draft Shedeur Sanders. And trust me, no draft would be as electrifying as that one. However, let’s wait and watch as things unfold this offseason, as Carr’s injury turned out to be dramatic for all.

Derek Carr’s injury status looks ‘fishy’?

Things are getting awkward in New Orleans. The relationship between Derek Carr and the Saints isn’t looking too healthy right now. Just a couple of days ago, news of Carr’s shoulder injury surfaced—on the same day Louisville QB Tyler Shough visited the Saints’ facility. That’s not a coincidence. That’s strategy.

Dianna Russini broke it down on her podcast with Chase Daniel, calling the whole situation “fishy.” And from the sound of it, the leak didn’t come from the team—it came from Carr’s camp. According to Russini: “From what I can gather, it appears the information got out from the Carr side of it. It was put out by them. Because I can tell you, I had some conversations with people in New Orleans who were aware of it, but they weren’t looking to put it on blast.” So, why now? Simple—Carr’s not happy.

Although the reporter acknowledged, “There could be a world where the Saints put it out, too… I really believe this is coming from Derek Carr,” the implication was clear—this was Carr making noise. He didn’t want to feel stuck. He wanted the freedom to test free agency. But the Saints restructured his contract without asking, effectively locking him in with no exit.

Now, Carr’s watching the team scout young quarterbacks—and he knows exactly what that means. He’s no fool. This is starting to look a lot like the Kirk Cousins situation, where a veteran gets quietly pushed aside for the shiny new rookie. Nobody wants to be that guy. So Carr’s pushing back. And yeah, it’s messy—because the team already looks halfway out the door.