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Four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr retired last offseason after 11 NFL seasons. The 34-year-old signal-caller for the New Orleans Saints battled an injury to his throwing shoulder that could have held him out for the entire 2025 season, so he hung up the cleats. However, that didn't stop teams from reaching out.

This past season, teams did their due diligence on Carr as quarterback injuries ravaged the league, per NFL.com. The Cincinnati Bengals were one, as they reportedly reached out to Carr when Joe Burrow suffered his turf toe injury in Week 2. There appears to be limited options for quarterbacks in both free agency and the draft this offseason, so teams are reportedly continuing their research on Carr. NFL Media reports he could return to the field for the right team and coaching staff. 

Carr said during a September interview with Dan Patrick that he would never say never about a potential return to the NFL. It didn't sound like he anticipated coming out of retirement during the 2025 season, but he was still training.  

"I wouldn't say, no, never, because I've learned that when I say never, it usually happens," Carr said. "I think we've all probably learned that. So for me, right now, I'm training because I love to train, like, that's gonna be the rest of my life. I love to train. I throw a football every now and then out in the front with my kids and with my buddy, you know, for fun, because it's part of my rehab still for my shoulder. You know, I'm still just trying to get that back right from getting the shot and doing the rehab and all that. 

"And so I'm still doing those things. And so I always felt like, even though I'm done, if God wanted me to do it, I've got to be ready. I don't want to go out there and not be ready, you know. So I'll be ready, but I'm not coming back. Like, right now, today, I'm not coming back." 

An interested team would face several obstacles when it comes to Carr returning to the NFL. For one, they would want to make sure Carr was fully recovered from his shoulder injury. It was described as a labral tear accompanied by significant degenerative changes to the rotator cuff. NFL Media reports that there are now no limitations for Carr, and he is throwing as a part of his exercise routine. 

Additionally, the Saints still hold the rights to Carr, so an interested team would have to trade for him. New Orleans should be willing to move him after finding Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist Tyler Shough in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

In his final NFL season back in 2024, Carr went 5-5 as the starter for the Saints while throwing for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. The five games Carr won were the only victories the Saints registered all season, as Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener went a combined 0-7. Carr owns a 77-92 record as a starter over his nine seasons with the Raiders and two with the Saints. He has thrown for 41,245 yards, 257 touchdowns and 112 interceptions in 169 career games played, and left the Raiders as their all-time passing leader with 35,222 yards.