On the last day of February, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk released the news that the New Orleans Saints have yet to hear from other teams about a potential trade for Derek Carr. That's not the news some have been wanting to hear.
If the quarterback is traded, it's the Saints' preference to have it happen before the draft this April. They'd immediately be able to benefit from the trade and get to upgrade the team ASAP, rather than waiting a year to use whatever draft capital they'd get.
However, if a trade isn't made before the draft, it doesn't mean that Carr won't be traded at all in 2026. There's always the chance that someone could come calling as the season unfolds, and looking at how last season turned out, a trade isn't out of the question at all.
Chatter around the Saints trading Derek Carr will never quit
If the Saints aren't able to trade for Carr this offseason, it would just cause the conversation to move a bit. If he really does want to play again, he'd have to go back to waiting for someone to get injured. Not that the former Saints quarterback will be hoping for that to happen but it may be the only way Carr's needs are met.
He's even discussed that exact scenario on his podcast, Homegrown with David & Derek Carr. "Would I unretire for just anybody? Absolutely not," Derek Carr said to his brother. "Would I do it (unretire)? Absolutely, I would. I told you two things: I have to be healthy, and I'd want a chance to win a Super Bowl. And obviously, that's a tough thing to find. That's hard to do. That's not easy."
It was always difficult to see Carr as a Super Bowl team's first pick. Florio appropriately stated, "most Super Bowl contenders are Super Bowl contenders because they have a starting quarterback in place." That's why this always felt improbable. The unfortunate season ending injury route is Carr's best bet at a Super Bowl contender calling his phone. For the Saints, that means they'll probably have to wait to collect any compensation for Carr.