Contractual and Financial Impact
Because Carr was under a multi-year contract when he stepped away in May 2025, his return would trigger several standard NFL procedural and financial actions:
Reverted Rights: The Saints hold his exclusive rights and he cannot sign with another team as a free agent.
Trade or Release: Since the Saints have moved on to Tyler Shough as their starter, they would likely seek to trade Carr to a QB-needy team. Experts estimate his trade value would be a mid-round pick (likely 3rd to 5th round).
Salary Restoration: His previous contract terms would resume. Upon retiring, he forfeited a $30 million guaranteed salary for 2025. If he returns, he and the Saints would likely need to negotiate a restructured deal or a new contract with an acquiring team.
26 comments
Thanks for the ChatGPT
Has Carr given any indication that he plans to un retire? I see a lot of discussion on it from everyone but Carr.
If he comes back mickeys gonna let him go wherever he wants. Much as I disliked him, he did us a solid by declining his contract and it really saved us cap-wise.
Trade that quitter for a 7th for all I care
Carr would immediately backup Mendoza on the Raiders
LV can have him for a 4th
I’ll deadass take a 3rd or 4th for him
Geno was traded away for a 3rd round pick. Carr IS easily better than Geno but the year away will bring down the price.
I bet Saints could get a 4th from him
Why would he go to raiders who have number 1 pick and will take Mendoza?
That’s pedestrian, for him to consider and for anyone else to imagine it as a hypothetical scenario.
#I want a draft pick!
Crosby for Carr. Win win
Why would that be considered a strong possibility? They are gonna draft their QB. This reads like somebody who wants to sound smart but doesn’t know anything lol
checking in to say fuck derek carr. that dude sucks so much
I’d be happy to have him as a backup on the team if he’s willing to take much less money. I do think we still need a decent veteran QB presence just in case something happens to Shough, but if he wants to leave just trade him for whatever.
Just release him. He was cool about the money
He’d probably end up with jets or some team like Vikings
I don’t care. Fuck DC.
I doubt he’ll go back to the raiders. I’ll take the free pick.
Carr did us a solid. we let him go wherever he wants with no compensation.
Carr for Jeanty LFG
Carr was never the Saints problem.
The Flacons might need a QB. Would make the division interesting with Mayfield and the Falcons coach history and The Saints and Carr.
Getting rid of the $30M guarantee would be worth not getting any draft picks in the deal.
If he did come back then he can attempt to carry shoughs jock strap
So no difference to us cap wise if they release him vs. trading him right? If that’s true then we’re probably just going to be hoping someone ends up being desperate enough to trade for him. But it makes more sense for them to just wait it out until we have to release him.
Am I correct in thinking this or am I missing something?
Regardless where his azz goes saints are gonna get some day 2 draft picks