One year after shocking the NFL world with his sudden retirement, Derek Carr is on the verge of making his return. The former New Orleans Saints quarterback is considering making his way back to the team in 2026 after leaving them in the wind in 2025.
Amid rumors that Carr is considering a comeback, the 34-year-old is reportedly “very serious” about unretiring, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported.
Carr has spent the last season recovering from various injuries and spending time with his family. The injuries are what forced him to call it a career in the first place, but he appears to believe he is fully healthy and prepared to get back on the horse.
While Carr left the Saints in a precarious position when he initially retired, they no longer need him in 2026. New Orleans is fully content with Tyler Shough as its franchise quarterback, giving Carr only one option if he unretires.
Carr still has two years remaining of the four-year deal he signed with the Saints in 2023. His rights remain with New Orleans, but multiple teams “with winning aspirations” would be interested in trading for Carr, Schultz reported.
Any trade would be good for the Saints, who would essentially net free assets in return for a quarterback they have no use for. Carr’s potential return would be buoyed by a subpar quarterback free agency group and a weak incoming draft class.
In his final season with the Saints, Carr threw for 2,145 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games before suffering a season-ending hand injury. He started the season scorching hot, throwing 443 passing yards and five touchdowns in New Orleans’ first two games, before dropping off hard and succumbing to injuries.