There has been chatter in NFL circles this offseason that New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr could unretire for the 2026 campaign.
Carr, a 2014 second-round pick by the Oakland Raiders, retired in May of 2025. The veteran quarterback cited issues with his right shoulder as the reason for retirement. He suffered a labral tear and had issues with his rotator cuff.
The Saints appeared to prepare for Carr to miss time before the retirement, drafting quarterback Tyler Shough in the second round of last year’s draft.
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Per NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, quarterback-needy teams in the league believe Carr wants to return to play this offseason.
“Sources: In talking to teams in the QB market, there's a strong belief former #Saints QB Derek Carr is very serious about unretiring and returning to the NFL in 2026,” Schultz posted on X. “Carr's rights belong to the Saints, but teams with winning aspirations have real interest in the former 4x Pro Bowler.”
If Carr were to unretire this offseason, it doesn’t appear that there would be a quarterback battle in New Orleans. Schultz suggested the Saints would likely be willing to trade the four-time Pro Bowl athlete because they view Shough as the future quarterback for the organization.
“A trade with New Orleans would be required to get Derek Carr, but from the Saints' standpoint, that would essentially be a free draft pick (with Tyler Shough viewed as the future),” Schultz wrote.
Shough appeared in 11 games and started in nine games during his rookie season. He threw for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He went 5-4 as a starter.
While Shough showed signs of progress last season, he still has much to show if he wants to be a long-term solution for the Saints at the most important position in the league.
Still, New Orleans must view Shough as a better option than Carr, and they might not be in a position to try and land an upgrade at quarterback this offseason.
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