New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) warms up before taking on the Cleveland Browns in New Orleans on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Staff photo by Brett Duke, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE
Derek Carr's shocking retirement Saturday morning has implications for the New Orleans Saints salary cap, but most of them won't be realized until 2026.
Carr's retirement is expected to be processed after June 1. The transaction will clear Carr's base salary off the books for the 2026 season, clearing a $30 million commitment next season and dropping his cap hit by nearly half.
New Orleans had already restructured Carr's contract this offseason, converting all but the minimum salary to signing bonus and lowering his 2025 cap hit by nearly $31 million. Because that money has already been allocated for this season, there will be minimal changes to Carr's 2025 cap hit.
[According to a Spotrac report](https://x.com/spotrac/status/1921237414074318865?s=46), Carr should leave behind dead cap charges of $14.5 million this season and $35.6 million next season after his retirement is processed. Prior to his retirement, Carr was set to count $20.4 million against the 2025 salary cap and $69.2 million against next year's cap.
With Carr coming off their books next season, the Saints should not have to do nearly as much salary cap gymnastics as they have in previous seasons. And New Orleans is now positioned to be significantly in the black for the 2027 season, at which point several of their largest contracts will expire.