The 2025 offseason has the potential to be a chaotic one for the entire NFL. There will likely be a ton of quarterback movement, wide receiver movement, an unpredictable draft, and plenty of other moves that will reshape the league as fans know it.
The New Orleans Saints could have a hand in all of the chaos that’s expected to take place. The team already has a new coaching staff, led by Kellen Moore, and they could soon hit the reset button on the roster as well. With a horrendous cap situation, there’s a growing belief that New Orleans could say farewell to some high-paid veterans this offseason.
The biggest name that falls in that category is starting quarterback Derek Carr. After signing with the Saints two offseasons ago, Carr has two years left on his deal, with cap hits north of $50 million in each season. Since he has only brought the team mediocre results, he makes sense as a cut candidate, and everyone sees that.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently pointed that out in a piece looking at each team’s cap space predicament, and now, Matt Okada is saying the same. In a recent NFL.com piece, highlighting notable cut candidates, Okada detailed why Carr could be a free agent this offseason.
"Derek Carr…is probably a middle-of-the-pack starting quarterback -- but his $51.5 million cap hit in 2025 is the fourth-highest at the position. The complications stem from the variety of options the Saints have with the 33-year-old QB. Cutting him straight-up would leave the team with $50.1 million in dead money and save just $1.3 million against the cap -- doesn't seem viable. Designating him as a post-June 1 cut nets $30 million in savings, with "only" $21.5 million in dead money, which is more manageable."Matt Okada (NFL.com)
Derek Carr named a cut candidate for the Saints
Okada breaks it all down. Carr has been good, but not elite, so the Saints must decide if he’s worth keeping, or if they will pursue moving on in a way that opens up the most cap space. It’s still early in the offseason, so New Orleans hasn’t really shown its hand yet.
The only thing that’s clear is that the Saints are actually deciding on whether to keep Carr or not. This was made evident in Kellen Moore’s introductory press conference. The first-time head coach was complimentary of Carr, but wouldn’t commit to him as the team’s quarterback. That means New Orleans is in the process of deciding the best path forward, with a decision likely coming before the start of free agency in March.