Steelers Could Pull QB Out of Retirement

Carr's Current Situation

Carr hung up his cleats after suffering a labral tear and damaging the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder while opting not to undergo surgery.

The Saints are still in possession of Carr's rights since he has one season remaining on a four-year, $150 million deal he inked with the franchise as a free agent in March 2023.

As a result, Pittsburgh would have to trade for the 34-year-old given where things stand at the moment. The cost wouldn't be exorbitant, with the cost likely in the range of an early Day 3 pick, but that's still enough of a considerable price tag to debate whether or not it's worth parting with draft capital for a player of Carr's caliber rather than signing one of the available veteran signal callers who are set to reach the open market, such as Rodgers.

Though Carr wasn't a fan favorite during his brief stint in New Orleans, his numbers were more than respectable. Across 27 starts, he threw for 6,023 yards, 40 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions with a 68.2 percent completion rate while the Saints compiled a 14-13 record in those contests.

Durability concerns are certainly applicable in this case, but perhaps a year off was all Carr needed to get closer to full health and jump right back into action for the right situation in 2026, which could come with the Steelers.

Should Carr Be a Top Option for Pittsburgh?

In a year where the quarterback options are particularly scant, especially in the NFL Draft outside of presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, Pittsburgh likely won't find its long-term answer behind center this offseason.

There's been plenty of buzz surrounding Rodgers' potential return as a stopgap before the organization potentially pursues one of the top prospects in the 2027 draft, but it's not 100 percent set in stone that the 42-year-old will reunite with McCarthy, his former head coach with the Green Bay Packers.

A real argument to be made that Carr is a better fit for the Steelers than Rodgers doesn't really exist considering the latter's connection to McCarthy and the fact that he has a year of experience under his belt with the team, but the former isn't an entirely unappealing alternative.

There's definitely higher-ceiling names out there, such as Malik Willis, that Pittsburgh could pursue this offseason, but if the franchise is looking for more of a steady veteran presence to pair with a younger option in Howard and Rodgers is off the table, than Carr could enter the picture.