Derek Carr may have some gas left in the tank.
The four-time Pro Bowler quarterback shockingly retired last May due to a shoulder injury, but could return next season if the “right situation and coaching staff” presents itself, according to NFL.com.
Carr, who turns 35 in March, forfeited $30 million after he suffered a labral tear and damage to the rotator cuff in his right shoulder, and elected to retire instead of undergoing surgery.
NFL.com’s report says Carr’s body has responded well to rest and rehabilitation, and that he has faced “no shoulder limitations” as he incorporates throwing into his workout regimen.
While the 11-year NFL veteran quickly landed a media gig after his retirement, he never shut the door on possibly resuming his on-field career.
“I wouldn’t say never,” Carr told Dan Patrick last September about possibly coming out of retirement.
“Because I’ve learned that when I say never, it usually happens. I think we’ve all probably learned that. For me, I’m training because I love to train. That’s going to be the rest of my life. I love to train.”
The Bengals were interested in acquiring Carr last season after losing superstar Joe Burrow to a toe turf injury that sidelined him for most of the regular season.
Carr’s brother, David, later said that uncertainty about Burrow’s return made Derek apprehensive about committing to Cincinnati for the full season.
“Derek would like to be in a situation that obviously is a team that really needs a guy to come in and take em’ [for] the long haul,” the former Giants quarterback said to a local ABC station. “There’s a feeling that maybe Joe Burrow might come back at some point this year — at least try to come back.
“I don’t know if Derek would feel comfortable being in a situation where say he was to enter in a team situation where the quarterback was hurt and he drove them all the way in, they got into the playoffs, and then he had to go sit on the sidelines.”
The Saints still own Carr’s rights, but likely would not stand in the way of Carr playing elsewhere, especially in the wake of Tyler Shough’s emergence last season, NFL.com added.
A second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Carr spent his first nine seasons with the Raiders, establishing himself as a top quarterback in the league.
After being cut in February 2023, Carr inked a four-year, $150 million contract (with $100 million guaranteed) with the Saints.
At one point, Carr was reportedly leaning toward signing with the Jets before the team ultimately signed four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
In 169 regular-season games, Carr has thrown for 41,245 yards to go with 257 touchdowns.