Derek Carr has shocked the world. The New Orleans Saints announced on Saturday that the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is retiring from the NFL due to the shoulder injury that has sidelined him for much of the offseason.
Carr has been experiencing shoulder pain since late last season and has even been mulling surgery. The Saints note in the above statement that medical scans have revealed unequivocally that Carr has a labral tear and "significant degenerative changes" to his rotator cuff.
The Saints also make clear that season-ending surgery was on the table, but that Carr and his team decided it wasn't worth the risk. As they put it, "there was no guarantee Derek would return to the level of strength, function and performance of play to which he was accustomed."
Impact
Carr stepping away from the game is a stunning development at this point in the offseason. Initially, stories of Carr's
2025 season being in jeopardy almost seemed like a negotiation tactic for a player who wanted off his team. Now, he's retiring at only 34 years old, an age where many quarterback are squarely in their prime.
Carr had two years remaining on a four-year, $150 million contract signed in 2023. He played an up-and-down two seasons with the Saints, winning 14 of his 27 starts while averaging 223.1 passing yards per game and 6.65 net yards per attempt.
Replacing that production will more than likely fall on 2025 NFL Draft second-round pick Tyler Shough. Shough is a 25-year-old rookie with a powerful 6'5", 220 lbs frame who spent time at Louisville, Texas Tech, and Oregon.
Shough isn't the ideal player to suddenly be thrust into the spotlight. Despite his age, Shough didn't accumulate a lot of reps in his seven-year college career. Across 42 appearances, he completed 599 of 951 pass attempts for 7820 yards, but he never started a full season until last year with Louisville.
Still, Shough is a significant enough investment that the Saints probably won't break the bank to add an experienced hand. The Saints could theoretically pursue a veteran like Aaron Rodgers, who remains unsigned, but it's difficult to imagine they could provide a more enticing situation than the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been
in talks with Rodgers for weeks.
Ultimately, if the Saints are going to get back in the playoff hunt, they'll need Shough to develop into a quality starter. If he can have a Bo Nix-calibre breakout season in his first year, the Saints could very well compete for the NFC South, but that's a long shot. There's a reason Shough was the 40th overall pick.
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