Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr shocked the NFL when he opted to retire out of the blue last offseason. Carr sent the same shock waves through the NFL when he made it clear that he’s open to a return to the NFL if the situation is perfect.
That means the Saints could have the ability to trade Carr this offseason if they can find the perfect situation he’s looking for. Fortunately, there are a few teams who could be interested.
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John Breech of CBS Sports recently suggested the Kansas City Chiefs could emerge as a suitor for Carr in an offseason deal, especially considering Patrick Mahomes might miss all of next season.
Chiefs could take a one-year flier on Derek Carr
Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) walks off the field after field after an injury during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
“As for the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes is also coming back from a major injury. The two-time MVP tore his ACL in mid-December, and right now, it’s not clear if he’ll be able to play in Week 1,” Breech wrote. “Mahomes definitely seems to be in a rush to get back, but if the Chiefs added Carr, then the Mahomes could take his time in rehab.
“In this case, Mahomes could circle Week 3 or Week 4 on the schedule and plan to come back then. Carr would obviously take the job knowing that he would only be the starter for the first few weeks of the season, but he would also take it knowing that he’s playing for a Super Bowl contender, which is what he wants to be doing at this point in his career.”
The Chiefs are expected to be without Patrick Mahomes for a chunk of next season after he suffered a gruesome leg injury late last year. Best case scenario, Mahomes is back early in the year, but worst case scenario sees him out for over half the season. The Chiefs won’t want to mess around with Mahomes’ long term health, so adding a veteran like Carr to man the ship while Mahomes is gone would be the best case for the Chiefs.
If Carr could keep the Chiefs around .500 until Mahomes returns, they’d be in good shape. If Mahomes has any complications with recovery, the Chiefs would still have a chance to win with Carr at the helm. Either way, it would come down to how much draft capital would be involved. If it’s minimal, the Chiefs would make sense.
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