Derek Carr linked with team he nearly joined instead of Saints in 2023

Veteran quarterback Derek Carr confirmed this past February that he could unretire and play for a team other than the New Orleans Saints later this year. 

Before Carr signed a four-year, $150M contract with $100M in total guarantees to join the Saints in March 2023, he flirted with becoming the New York Jets' QB1. For a piece related to "interesting things he heard" at this year's NFL Scouting Combine, Matthew Berry of NBC Sports shared on Monday that he learned in Indianapolis that Carr could join the Jets at some point this offseason.

Jets planning to have Derek Carr atop their depth chart this year?

"From what I heard, the Saints expect him to unretire and play in 2026," Berry wrote about Carr. "The Saints are very happy with Tyler Shough, so New Orleans expects Carr to unretire, and then they will trade him. To the New York Jets."

Fair or not, the perception has existed for years that then-Jets head coach Robert Saleh wanted to have Carr as his QB1 in 2023 but was overruled by team owner Woody Johnson. The Jets ultimately acquired future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in April of that year, but he suffered a torn Achilles tendon just four offensive snaps into his first official start with the Jets. 

Neither Rodgers nor Saleh is now associated with a Jets team that has recently been linked with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. For what it's worth, multiple reports released this offseason have basically warned the Jets to stay away from Murray if he is released by the Cardinals, as expected. 

The Saints still hold Carr's rights but are all-in on playing Shough, who was a finalist for the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Thus, the price tag attached to Carr's services shouldn't be too much for an interested team such as the Jets to match before the upcoming draft gets underway. 

Vikings not interested in Derek Carr?

Berry added that he heard no talk about the Minnesota Vikings possibly pursuing Carr, even though the Vikings may want to sit 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy through the 2026 season. 

"What I heard was that the Saints think Carr will unretire, and they will be able to trade him to the Jets," Berry repeated. 

Of course, the Jets could also shock the football community by completing a blockbuster trade with the Las Vegas Raiders that would allow Gang Green to make Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza the first overall pick of this year's draft. However, that seems quite unlikely as of the first Tuesday of March.