Derek Carr retiring never really felt like the final verdict. There was an oddly timed injury and immediate questions around his justification around leaving. From the moment Carr made the announcement, New Orleans Saint fans knew something was fishy. A year later, Saints fans should feel vindicated. Carr has been hinting at the idea of playing football again for a while. Now, it feels like he's pushing for a team to pursue him.
It seems like Carr may actually get his wish. It seemed unlikely once he gave his demands. He wanted to start, and Carr wanted to play for a true contender. The idea of Derek Carr going to a team with Super Bowl aspirations just felt far fetched. It's hard to think of teams who are a Derek Carr away from a Super Bowl.
It always felt like the latter stipulation was going to be the thing that kept Carr retired. Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, however, there are teams with "winning aspirations" that have interest in Carr's services.
Derek Carr returning to the NFL finally feels like a two way street
There's no logical reason for the Saints to object to a Derek Carr return. They still own his rights, so they'll receive some sort of compensation for a player who is no longer in their future or present plans. They already got the financial benefit of him retiring. A return doesn't reverse that and adds the benefit of incoming draft picks. It's also worth mentioning that Carr won't return if the Saints can't find a trade partner.
Carr has made it clear that he'd return to action as well. The only doubt came from feeling his requests were too high. They were smart stipulations for him, but many believed the caliber of team he was looking for, likely wasn't looking for him. Schultz' report proved that to be wrong.
Schultz specifically said teams, as well, so there is more than one team that fits the build and is interested. The first teams that jump to mind are the Vikings, Steelers and Colts. All of those teams face uncertainty at quarterback, but each team would logically think they have a chance at being highly competitive in 2026.
The Vikings went on a slump after a strong 2025 campaign and may not feel J.J. McCarthy is the answer to bouncing back. The Steelers were literally in the playoffs, and Rodgers' future, per usual, is unknown. Lastly, the Colts were one of the hottest teams in the NFL with Daniel Jones early. It would make sense for each team to at least inquire about Carr.