INDIANAPOLIS — Derek Carr has said publicly that he would come out of retirement for the right situation.
At the NFL scouting combine this week, that right situation could actually be unfolding.
The New Orleans Saints would not be among those shocked to see Carr put back on his cleats for 2026. And while that’s still not guaranteed, the buzz around Carr continued to get louder after NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported that Carr is “very serious” about un-retiring.
Carr, who played two seasons with the Saints before retiring last offseason with a shoulder injury, said earlier this month that he’d only un-retire if he had a chance to play for a Super Bowl contender.
Those options would seemingly limit Carr’s market, but there are at least a few teams on the verge of contention who fit that criteria. Notably, Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski declined to endorse their young starting quarterbacks each entering Year 3 after disappointing seasons that saw both clubs narrowly miss out on the playoffs. And if Aaron Rodgers decides to call it quits, the Pittsburgh Steelers — who did make the postseason — would be another potential landing spot for Carr.
There seems to be no consensus yet on whether the interest in Carr is mutual.
Any team pinning its hopes on Carr in 2026 would have to feel comfortable enough with a signal-caller who hasn’t played football in a year and had a shoulder injury that caused “significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff,” according to the Saints. Carr also turns 35 in March. That said, Carr could benefit from what appears to be a relatively weak free agent quarterback class.
And if a team wants Carr, the Saints still hold his contractual rights — meaning the sides would have to hammer out a trade for a deal to happen.
The saga is far from over.
In the meantime, here’s what else the Times-Picayune has heard during through various conversations at the league’s busiest convention:
Taylor mix
If New Orleans cornerback Alontae Taylor hits the open market once his contract expires in March, as is the current expectation, keep an eye on the Las Vegas Raiders for his services. There would be familiarity there after the Raiders hired Klint Kubiak and retained Joe Woods — Taylor’s former defensive coordinator — to be on the new coach’s staff.
Eric Stokes, the Raiders' No. 1 corner, is also set to be a free agent, and so if Las Vegas can’t re-sign him, its need for a top corner would become even more magnified. But even if Stokes returns, Taylor could slot in at nickel.
Moore’s staff
Saints assistant special teams coach Kyle Wilber interviewed for Green Bay’s special-teams coordinator vacancy after the Packers saw Rich Bisaccia surprisingly step down. Though Wilber, a former linebacker, was coached by Bisaccia and worked under him in 2024 in Green Bay, the expectation is that he’s likely to stay with the Saints next season.
If that happens, it would be yet another sign coach Kellen Moore’s staff is staying almost entirely intact. Jahri Evans remains the lone departure, as the assistant offensive line coach made a lateral jump to the Steelers. The Saints plan to fill Evans’ role soon.
Training camp buzz
After spending all of 2024 in California for training camp and nine days out west last year, the Saints are still in the process of sorting out their plans for this year’s camp. It sounds like most of camp will be held at their facility in Metairie, though they could still look to get away for a small portion to bond and escape the heat. The Saints would also like to hold joint practices, ideally both at home and on the road.