Derek Carr is no longer the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. In an offseason where the QB position is set to see plenty of transitions around the NFL, could he land elsewhere if he wants to play football again?

That isn’t quite as far fetched at some may believe. There’s a reality where he’s traded by the Saints, as teams scramble for options at the QB position.

Saints may trade QB Derek Carr after some interest from teams around the NFL during season

According to NFL insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo, the Saints may have an opportunity to trade the veteran QB this offseason. Of course, he retired from the NFL last year but remains under contract with the Saints.

“As quarterback injuries mounted this season and into the playoffs, teams conducted due diligence on Carr, trying to gather information as to whether the former Saints franchise passer would consider coming out of retirement, sources tell The Insiders. The Bengals, for instance, contacted Carr after Joe Burrow went down with his turf toe injury.

That work continues, and an offseason of quarterback uncertainty — with limited options in free agency, trades and the draft — makes Carr a possible solution in the right situation.” — NFL.com

With Tyler Shough in the fold and hype building surrounding his future, there is basically no instance where Carr would ever suit up again in black and gold. The insiders also noted that New Orleans’ price wouldn’t be an unreasonable ask for a player who has no future in New Orleans. That makes sense.

Rather, if he has interest in playing again and another team needs an experienced option at QB, it would make all of the sense in the world for the Saints to receive compensation for him.

There’s still a belief around the NFL that Carr can help a team, and a handful stand out as legitimate landing spots.

Potential landing spots if Saints trade QB Derek Carr

Indianapolis Colts: Daniel Jones may not be ready for the start of next season after this year’s injury situation. With pressure mounting for the Colts staff, I won’t be surprised if they make a veteran addition at QB. Carr fits that bill, and the Colts have a strong offensive line when healthy and an elite running back in Jonathan Taylor.

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings can’t be sure of JJ McCarthy’s future in the pros. Accordingly, adding another experienced quarterback to the room could be on their to-do list this offseason. Wouldn’t surprise me if Carr or Kirk Cousins ended up in Minnesota for 2026.

Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray’s future in Arizona is incredibly murky. There are reports that the team would like to move on and start anew next season with a fresh coaching staff in place. If they did, Carr may be on their board as a proven option – then, they could also add a young option in the room during the draft as well.

New Orleans should certainly check out the landscape of a deal involving Carr. Only time will tell if another organization has enough interest to get a trade set in stone, though.

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