The New Orleans Saints’ Carr broke down. Derek Carr, that is.
Like everyone else feeling the end-of-year rush, some things will have to wait for 2025, including Carr’s health. It appears the quarterback won’t be fixed until the new year, essentially ending his 2024 season with a whimper after it started with a bang.
That ultimately represents a disappointing conclusion to a year that began with such promise. With a new coaching staff on the horizon this offseason, change is on the way in the bayou.
Plenty of questions will have to be answered, especially as the franchise charts its direction. With injuries shortening Carr’s season, it’ll be interesting to see where the quarterback lands in those future plans. In the meantime, he’ll be sidelined thanks to injury.
Here’s the latest on Carr.
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Derek Carr injury update
Carr is still a few weeks away from being ready for contact, which makes a return this season very unlikely, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Saints quarterback is dealing with multiple fractures in his left hand and was still in the league’s concussion protocol as of Monday. While being cleared for contact would be a necessary step in any return, getting through the five-step concussion protocol has to happen first.
Until Carr’s head injury is resolved, nothing else matters in terms of readiness to play.
Regardless, he seems likely to be sidelined for the remainder of 2024 as New Orleans prepares for the offseason, which will bring plenty of change.
When was Derek Carr’s injury?
Carr suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Week 14 against the Giants on a scramble. The quarterback collided with his receiver, Kevin Austin Jr., after jumping in an attempt to get a first down. Instead, Carr landed awkwardly on his head and hand, suffering a pair of injuries on the play.
Saints QB depth chart
If Carr remains out, here’s a look at New Orelans’ current quarterback options for the rest of the season.
Spencer Rattler
Jake Haener
Rattler and Haener can best be described as quarterbacks ‘1A and 1B,’ with neither really possessing much of an advantage. If you had to give the edge to someone though, it would likely be Rattler, who came on in relief of Haener in Week 15.
Both signal callers are recent draft picks by the Saints, with Haener being selected in the fourth round of the 2023 draft and Rattler going in the fifth round in 2024.
Derek Carr stats
Carr’s 2024 season got off to a great start with two blowout wins to open the schedule. However, Carr and the Saints were never able to sustain that success after being dealt plenty of injuries that were too much to overcome. Provided he doesn’t return in the last three weeks, Carr will finish his season having played in just 10 games, a career-low. He holds a 5-5 record and threw for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions