Derek Carr (Photo By Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images)
The New Orleans Saints just took a gut punch to their 2025 plans. What started as a hopeful offseason has turned into a scramble after troubling news surfaced about their veteran quarterback. Derek Carr, expected to lead the charge this fall, may not even take a single snap.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Carr is now dealing with a serious shoulder injury. The nature of the issue could sideline him for the entire season. He’s still weighing his options, including surgery, but either way, this is a significant blow for a team that had built its offseason around his return.

Saints Facing A Quarterback Crisis

Derek Carr (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Carr’s shoulder problem comes just months after he fractured his non-throwing hand, which ended his 2024 campaign early. The Saints, confident in his recovery, restructured his contract in the offseason to free up $30.9 million in cap space. That move practically confirmed him as the Week 1 starter.

Now, everything has changed. With Carr’s availability in serious doubt, new head coach Kellen Moore has to pivot fast. The internal options are thin. Rookie Spencer Rattler is on the roster, but handing him the keys this early feels like a gamble. The front office could also explore the upcoming NFL Draft, and it seems they’ve already positioned themselves to make a move.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, New Orleans is a strong candidate to land Shedeur Sanders, the highly-watched quarterback from Colorado. “Right now, couple weeks out, I don’t think Shedeur Sanders is going No. 2,” Schefter said. “And, again, the signs point to him not going No. 3 either. To me, I think there’s three options on Shedeur Sanders: nine to New Orleans, 21 to Pittsburgh.”

As it stands, the Saints hold the ninth overall pick. With Derek Carr’s injury looming large, the urgency to secure a young quarterback has never been higher. The idea of Sanders stepping into a starting role just became a lot more real.

Carr’s absence impacts the offense and shifts the tone of the entire organization. After years of trying to stabilize the quarterback position post-Drew Brees, the Saints are once again heading into uncertain territory. Whether it’s Rattler, Sanders, or another name entirely, the Saints will need a new face to lead them in 2025.