Derek Carr’s Injury Leaves Saints Facing Tough Decisions—and a Potential $40 Million Gamble
After quarterback Derek Carr suffered a “significant” fracture in his non-throwing hand against the New York Giants in Week 14, the New Orleans Saints are in a difficult situation. Although there is some hope due to Carr’s week-to-week status, the team may face long-term financial consequences from his ailment.
Here’s the kicker: if Carr remains injured into 2025, his $30 million base salary for that year becomes fully guaranteed, along with a $10 million roster bonus. That’s $40 million locked up, whether he’s on the field or not. Releasing him early isn’t much better—cutting ties before June 1, 2025, would leave the Saints with a crushing $50 million dead cap hit. They could spread the pain over two seasons by designating him as a post-June 1 release, but that’s still a tough pill to swallow.
The Saints’ injury woes don’t stop at Carr. Their top three wide receivers and utility player Taysom Hill are also on injured reserve, leaving the offense scrambling for answers. Yet somehow, New Orleans has clawed its way back into relevance, winning three of its last four games after a brutal seven-game losing streak. A coaching change—Dennis Allen was fired after Week 9—seems to have injected new life into the team.
Backups Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler are now in the wings, but let’s be honest: neither player has Carr’s background or expertise. The front staff will have to make some difficult decisions as the Saints negotiate this delicate scenario. Do they begin making plans for a future without Carr, or do they remain with him and hope for a full recovery? In either case, the stakes are extremely high and time is of the essence.
There is no doubt that Saints fans will not soon forget the wild adventure that this season is proving to be.
