derek carr
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Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
Recently, former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr floated his name out there as a possible option for Klint Kubiak’s coaching staff. The former Pro Bowler has stated that he’d like to coach someday.
However, at 34, he could still play for a few more years. Coaching is something he can do when he’s older, but he can’t play forever. Carr retired last offseason after it was revealed he was likely going to miss the 2025 season due to injury.
He has now had a chance to take a year off to recover and recently admitted that he’s open to unretiring to join a contending team. The bigger question is whether or not any teams with strong rosters would want to add Carr.
Since he’s still under contract with the Saints, it would take a trade to get him. According to NFL insider Jordan Schutlz, Carr is serious about playing again, and there are teams interested.
“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 wrote on X.
“Carr’s rights belong to the Saints, but teams with winning aspirations have real interest in the former 4x Pro Bowler.”
Which Teams Could Make Sense for Carr?
Carr did the Saints a solid by retiring last offseason. He could’ve gotten surgery, sat out the year and made a lot of money. With that in mind, it’s hard to imagine they’d ask for much in a trade.
One team that makes a ton of sense for him is the Minnesota Vikings. J.J. McCarthy hasn’t looked like a franchise quarterback, and it might be wise to have him sit another year behind a quarterback like Carr. They have a very good roster and elite wide receivers. Carr just needs to be serviceable, and they could easily win 11 games next year.
The Indianapolis Colts are likely another team on the phone with Carr. Daniel Jones could miss the whole season recovering from an Achilles injury, and he’s not under contract. Carr could be the perfect stopgap option for them.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team to watch. Aaron Rodgers might retire, which means they’ll need a quarterback. Carr could be a good option for them as they try to work out a long-term plan at the position.
Raiders Don’t Have a QB Coach Yet
Carr has a good relationship with Kubiak, so there’s been speculation that he could join the Raiders in some capacity. The team still doesn’t have a quarterbacks coach, so that’s something Carr could likely do well, especially since offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko should be heavily involved with the quarterback.
General manager John Spytek also recently suggested that he doesn’t love the idea of having a rookie start at quarterback. That could open the door for a possible reunion with the Raiders if Carr were interested.
That doesn’t make a ton of sense for either side, but it’s hard to imagine Carr would turn down the chance to finish his career with the Raiders in a more positive way.