Derek Carr, Saints
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Retired New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr reacting after an NFL game against the Tennessee Titans.
The rumor mill is churning.
NBC Sports analyst Matthew Berry revealed the “most interesting” rumor he heard at the 2026 NFL Combine involved the New York Jets making a headline-grabbing move.
“Derek Carr. Yes, the retired 34-year-old Derek Carr. From what I heard, the Saints expect him to un-retire and play in 2026. The Saints are very happy with Tyler Shough, so New Orleans expects Carr to un-retire, and then they will trade him to the New York Jets,” Berry wrote.
“For what it’s worth, Vincent Bonsignore, a beat reporter for the Raiders, says he heard the Vikings for Carr. Now, I did NOT hear that at all. I did hear a BUNCH of names for the Vikings (more on that below), but Derek Carr was not one of them. What I heard was that the Saints think Carr will un-retire, and they will be able to trade him to the Jets. Shrug emoji,” Berry continued.
Carr, 34, will turn 35 before the start of the 2026 season. He was in the middle of a $150 million contract when he decided to walk away last offseason.
Insider Shares Latest Rumors
Berry is more well-known for his fantasy football content than his reporting as an Insider. However, every year he shares his top rumors he heard in Indianapolis for a column.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, who is known for his reporting, did share a Carr update at the combine.
“That is an interesting one, too. Remember, there was a time I thought he was going to be a part of the Jets. I mean, it seems like the Jets have been linked to every quarterback. That is an intriguing one to me. He has come back and said that he only wants to be a part of a Super Bowl contender, but money can speak. Maybe if he thinks the Jets are going in the right direction,” Rapoport told Jets senior reporter Eric Allen.
“In my head, he is 39 [years old], but he’s not 39, he’s 34. He is young. He retired because of a shoulder injury that is now healed. So definitely one to keep an eye on. He is a great dude who I think has some good football left. So that would be an intriguing trade,” Rapoport added.
Insider Reveals Trade Price
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said, “The feeling around the league is that Carr really wants to unretire and play in 2026.”
“Some still in the building now were big fans of Carr then, and Glenn has known him for a long time — Glenn and David Carr, Derek’s brother, were teammates on the initial iteration of the Houston Texans in 2002, and Derek used to spend a lot of time at the Texans facility as an 11-year-old. The Saints hold his rights, but it sounds like it would only take a Day 3 draft pick to get him in a trade,” Rosenblatt revealed.
The Jets’ available options this offseason at quarterback are underwhelming. Believe it or not, Carr, if he were to unretire, would immediately become one of the best choices out there.
Now that could speak to how bad the options are instead of a compliment to Carr. The Jets are desperate, and they must turn over every stone to try to find a solution to their QB1 woes.