New Orleans Saints retired quarterback Derek Carr made the noble gesture of
unretiring to help a quarterback-needy team. That is, only if the team is a Super Bowl
contender. While his intentions are altruistic, he will have a great deal of difficulty finding
a team that meets his criteria. For starters, teams are rarely a quarterback away from
the big game. There are exceptions, like the 2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who finished
7-9 with Jameis Winston.
Even if a team like that existed in 2026, Carr isn’t exactly a six-time Super Bowl-winning
savior. He’s a guy who had 3 winning seasons in 11 years, and lost the one playoff
game he ever played in. He has been efficient, completing 65.1% of his passes for his
career. His 2.29 touchdown to interception ration is elite as well. He’s a great game
manager, but not someone who will make the big play when it’s required. Here is a look
at how he could fit into each division.
AFC East
The New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills are obviously out. The Miami Dolphins are
reportedly shopping their starting quarterback, looking for an upgrade (they aren’t sold
on QuinnEwers either). Is Carr really an upgrade over Tua Tagovailoa, though? He
didn’t play a game last season, and like Tua, he is good for three quarters.
The New York Jets would be open to the idea for sure, despite the fact that Justin Fields
is still under a contract that has 100% dead money left on it. The issue is less about
Fields and more about the Jets. As long as the team is owned by Woody Johnson, it will
never be a Super Bowl contender. Carr would be better off staying retired than playing
for Gang Green.
AFC West
The top three teams are immediately out, with franchise quarterbacks already, and the
bottom of the barrel Las Vegas Raiders, have no shot at contending. Not only that, they
hold the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and are going to select Indiana quarterback
Fernando Mendoza. It’s unlikely they would want a stopgap mentor for him, or that Carr
would want to return to a place he had an ugly divorce from.
AFC North
The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens are set at quarterback, and would have
no interest in Carr’s services unless he was willing to help a Super Bowl contender by
holding a clipboard. The Cleveland Browns are desperate for quarterback help, or really,
offensive help in general. Despite a great defense and a new coach, they are not a
contender.
This leaves the Pittsburgh Steelers, which fit the bill for Carr. They have an elite
defense, an offense-friendly head coach, and are missing just a quarterback to help
them get over the hump. They are unlikely to bring back Aaron Rodgers, and while Carr
is younger and a better option, the team might only look to him if they miss out on Tua,
Kyler Murray, or Malik Willis.
AFC South
The Houston Texans are going to stick with CJ Stroud in the long term, despite a down
year in 2025 and his immense struggles in the playoffs. Trevor Lawrence was an MVP
candidate last season, so the Jacksonville Jaguars are set, and the Tennessee Titans
took Cam Ward with the first overall pick in last year’s draft, so they aren’t giving up on
him any time soon.
The Indianapolis Colts are trying to work out a deal with Daniel Jones, but nothing has
been set in stone yet. If they aren’t able to get a deal done with him, that would make
one more option for the Steelers and open up a spot for Carr. The Colts have a history
of taking on washed-up vets or reclamation projects, and if they would let Philip Rivers
start after missing four years, then why not Carr after just one?
NFC East
There is no home for Carr in this division. The New York Giants are high on their 2025
first-round pick, the Washington Commanders are starting Jayden Daniels if he’s
healthy, the Philadelphia Eagles are married to Jalen Hurts long-term, and the Dallas
Cowboys are sticking with Dak Prescott.
NFC West
Obviously, the Seattle Seahawks aren’t looking for a quarterback, and neither are the
San Francisco 49ers. The Arizona Cardinals might be in the market, but no quarterback
is going to help them contend. They are in the same boat as the Jets. The Los Angeles
Rams make some sense. Matthew Stafford is coming back for 2026, so as long as he’s
healthy, he is the starter, but Carr could get some run if the old man gets hurt.
NFC North
The Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers would not offer any playing
time to Carr. The Minnesota Vikings are an interesting choice because they seem
hell-bent on tossing JJ McCarthy to the side without a second glance. The fact that they
have an elite defense, a solid running game, great receivers, and a solid coach makes
this the ideal destination for any quarterback looking to win now.
How good a job this is happens to be the worst-kept secret in the league, though, and
the Vikings will get first pick of every quarterback available via trade or free agency,
even over the Steelers. Carr should be interested in the Vikings; they just won’t be
interested in him.
NFC South
Carr is already under contract with the Saints, even though he’s retired, so if he wanted
to play there, that would be the easiest option. They are not a contender with or without
him, however, and the two young quarterbacks they have on the roster are a better
option than he is anyway.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers aren’t moving on from Baker Mayfield, so they are out of
the sweepstakes, but the other two teams are interesting. The Carolina Panthers and
Atlanta Falcons both have young quarterbacks they say are the starters going into
2026, but both seem like they are on a short leash. If Carrwere to pick one of these
teams, he could find himself starting in short order, but for non-contenders.
Derek Carr Options
The Steelers and Vikings would look at several options before Carr, so he wouldn’t have
a real shot at landing with either. The only other team that may be open to him joining,
and could potentially be a contender (it’s a stretch), is the Indianapolis Colts. If Carr
wants to play for a contender this season, that’s the only team he should call.
