Derek Carr Could Unretire, Join New Team

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr retired just before the 2025 NFL Draft after a shoulder injury threatened his career. At the time, this health-related decision appeared to signal the end of his career. However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport recently tweeted that the former second-round pick and four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is considering returning to the NFL and could unretire for the right situation.

Carr is still under contract with the New Orleans Saints, but it’s safe to assume he won’t play for them in 2026. The Saints appear to have found their franchise quarterback of the future in Tyler Shough, and they shouldn’t have much interest in bringing back a 35-year-old Derek Carr. However, there aren’t enough good quarterbacks to go around, and Carr should generate some interest across the league.

While he wasn’t the long-awaited missing piece for the New Orleans Saints, he was still a solid starter. During his final year with the club, the quarterback completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,145 yards, 7.7 yards per attempt, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 10 games. Quarterback-needy teams could use a player like him, and if he returns, it will probably be for one of the following three organizations.

Derek Carr Could Unretire, Sign With These Three Teams

New York Jets

The New York Jets hold the second-overall pick in a one-quarterback draft class, which means they’ll probably be looking for yet another veteran passer to hold down the fort in 2026. Looking around the league, Carr might be the best option. While Malik Willis is the prized jewel of free agency, veterans like Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray, and Tua Tagovailoa will likely become available in the coming weeks. Carr is in the same tier as those guys, but he might not want to return from retirement to play on a terrible roster with a coach who just fired his entire coaching staff after a 3-14 season.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals aren’t exactly the picture of organizational stability, but they have a few interesting pieces on offense. Tight end Trey McBride is one of the best in the league at his position, Michael Wilson broke out in a big way last year, and former first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr has all the talent in the world. Pair this with a good-but-not-great defense, and the Cardinals are truly a quarterback away from competing for a Wild Card spot. Derek Carr might not be a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback, but he should be an upgrade on the present-day version of Kyler Murray. Seeing as the team probably won’t find an answer in the NFL Draft, Carr might be the best option for first-year head coach Mike LaFleur.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers want Aaron Rodgers to return, but there’s no guarantee the feeling is mutual. As of this posting, the Steelers do not have a Plan B if Rodgers signs with a different team or calls it a career. Even without Mike Tomlin, it’s hard to imagine the Steelers embracing a rebuild season, and a quarterback like Derek Carr could help keep this team afloat in the race for the AFC North.