Report: No teams have called Saints about trading for Derek Carr

Derek Carr may be very serious about returning to the NFL in 2026, but it doesn't sound like NFL teams are seriously considering him. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported over the weekend that the New Orleans Saints have not received any trade calls from other teams, at least not yet. That's in contrast to a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, who said "teams with winning aspirations have real interest" in the semi-retired quarterback.

Now that doesn't have to be mutually exclusive information. Teams could be interested in Carr. Some of those teams may have come up just short of the playoffs last year, or didn't get as far as they wanted to go. Those same teams may be waiting to see what happens with younger, healthier passers before placing a call to New Orleans. But there's a real possibility that Carr doesn't find a new team this spring and the Saints don't get a draft pick back for him. All it would take is for everyone involved choosing to stay the course.

So what if Carr does want to play in 2026, but he can't find a team willing to trade for him? Maybe he ends up waiting until after the November trade deadline to see if a starter goes down with an injury, as happened last year with the Indianapolis Colts (Daniel Jones) and Cincinnati Bengals (Joe Burrow). As Florio suggested, he could ask the Saints for a release, go through waivers, and then sign as a free agent. Obviously that isn't ideal for the Saints. It may not be ideal for Carr, either. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Another possibility: nothing changes until after the 2026 NFL Draft. Malik Willis signs somewhere on a starter contract. The Minnesota Vikings add someone to compete with J.J. McCarthy but not outright replace him. Jones re-ups with Indianapolis, Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa find new spots, and Fernando Mendoza is the first overall draft pick. That still leaves more quarterback vacancies than viable options. Even if it's a 2027 draft pick and a mid-summer deal, trading Carr would still be in the Saints' best interest. But his no-trade clause means he'll have a say in where he plays ball. For now, there isn't much more to say.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Report: No teams have called Saints about Derek Carr trade