The New Orleans Saints lost quarterback Derek Carr to retirement last offseason and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
With Carr gone, the Saints were able to land Tyler Shough in the second round of the NFL draft. If Carr would have been healthy and gearing up for another year in New Orleans, the Saints may not have taken Shough.
But Carr is seemingly willing to come out of retirement for the right team in the right situation, per multiple reports. But if he comes out of retirement, where could he look to go?
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USA Today’s Joe Rivera recently suggested the Las Vegas Raiders, Carr’s former team, could be a potential landing spot for the former starting quarterback if he comes out of retirement. But the idea makes no sense for either side.
Raiders don’t make sense as a landing spot for Derek Carr
Dec 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) kneels at the end of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
“Could a return to the Raiders make sense for both sides? Some of that depends on what Carr would want coming out of retirement,” Rivera wrote. “Does he want an opportunity to start and stick as a team’s QB1 for the long-term? Or would he be willing to enter a QB competition just to get a taste of the game again?
“With Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza the presumptive No. 1 overall selection come April, it may benefit all involved with the Raiders to ease along the passer and not throw him into the fire, especially after a season of turmoil along Las Vegas’ offensive line, the worst in the NFL.”
This idea doesn’t make sense for either side.
First of all, the main aspect for Carr is returning to the perfect team in the perfect situation. The Raiders are rebuilding. Carr doesn’t have the time left in a potential career to rebuild.
For the Raiders, they’re a few months away from landing their franchise quarterback in Fernando Mendoza with the top pick of the NFL draft. It wouldn’t make any sense to reunite with a decent quarterback like Carr after he spent a year on the sidelines.
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