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Mike Florio and Mark Schlereth argued the Pittsburgh Steelers could be an ideal fit for quarterback Derek Carr.
The Pittsburgh Steelers once again appear to be targeting Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback this season. That’s the case even if they have to wait nearly the entire offseason for him to sign. It’s unknown what the team’s contingency quarterback plan might be. But NFL pundits have several, and they now include Derek Carr.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio argued Carr as a potential fit for the Steelers late Saturday night.
“Carr becomes a potential option in Pittsburgh if Aaron Rodgers decides not to play for the Steelers again in 2026, and if they don’t land Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round of the draft,” Florio wrote. “(Some in league circles think the Steelers will take him if he’s on the board when Pittsburgh makes the 21st overall pick.)”
Former Pro Bowl offensive lineman and NFL analyst Mark Schlereth argued Carr as an excellent fit for the Steelers.
“I think [Carr’s] tough, I think he’s smart; I think he’s a really good player that probably takes too much of a beating,” Schlereth said on his Stinkin’ Truth Podcast, via Steelers Depot’s Jake Brockhoff. “I think you can win with Derek Carr in the right environment.
“That makes sense to me.”
Carr, who the New Orleans Saints signed to a 4-year, $150 million contract three years ago, has made four Pro Bowls in his career. His most recent Pro Bowl season came in 2022.
Overall, Car has posted a 77-92 record as an NFL starter. He’s completed 65.1% of his passes for an average of 7.1 yards per attempt with 257 touchdowns and 112 interception.
Will Derek Carr Unretire to Play in 2026?
Carr didn’t play during the 2025 season. The veteran quarterback retired on May 10 last year.
The Saints wrote on social media when Carr announced his retirement that last spring, the quarterback experienced pain in his right throwing shoulder. That was after he had recovered from a concussion and left hand injury.
Before his retirement, shoulder surgery and another long rehab process was on the table for Carr.
After a year away from the NFL, though, Carr could return. The quarterback said on the podcast he hosts with his brother, David Carr, that he would come back if healthy and if he could play for a Super Bowl contender.
Florio debated whether the Steelers are a true contender. Ironically, they probably aren’t if Derek Carr is their quarterback.
Carr has led a team to 10 wins just twice in his career. He has started one playoff game, which was a loss to the eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals in January 2022.
The best season of Carr’s career was 2016. In December of that year, he was receiving MVP chatter, but Carr suffered a broken leg with his team 12-3.
However, that doesn’t mean Schlereth is wrong. Carr has played a lot for bad teams. In the right situation, he could be a quality option. That’s especially true when compared to Pittsburgh’s other current choices if Rodgers doesn’t return.
Saints Have Received No Inquiries on Carr: Report
The problem with Carr’s potential comeback plan is a vast majority of Super Bowl contenders entered the offseason already with a quarterback.
Then during the first week of free agency, four teams acquired new signal-callers. On Sunday, Florio reported none of those teams inquired about Carr.
In fact, no team has expressed interested in the retired signal-caller.
“As of Scouting Combine week, the Saints hadn’t heard from any team regarding a potential trade for Carr’s contract rights,” Florio wrote. “Through the first week of free agency, we’re told, the Saints still haven’t gotten any inquiries.”
That’s not shocking. Players don’t typically come back better after a year away from the game.
Carr went 5-5 as a starter for the Saints in 2024. He averaged 7.7 yards per pass with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. His last start, though, was December 8, 2024.
Carr will also turn 35 years old at the end of March.
The lack of market for Carr, though, could be good news for the Steelers as they wait for Rodgers. There’s only two other teams with obvious quarterback openings — the Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals.
A Raiders reunion for Carr would be interesting. But Las Vegas is expected to take national champion Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall.
The Cardinals would presumably be out of the running for Carr since they aren’t a contender.
That could leave the Steelers the option to inquiry about Carr late this offseason. That is, if they don’t re-sign Rodgers or another veteran signal caller.