David Carr chimed in, noting that he “knows” that Derek is healthy. To which the latter sheepishly chuckled, in a tacit confirmation.
Derek Carr announced his retirement from the Saints last spring due to a labral tear in his rotator cuff. The QB’s injury could have been repaired by surgery, but it would have put his ability to play last season in jeopardy. With that reality hanging overhead, the Saints and the QB agreed on a retirement pact.
With Carr hinting that he’s healthy enough to now play, fit would be the most important piece of the puzzle. Teams with Super Bowl-worthy rosters that still need a starting QB aren’t readily available. Carr noted that he rebuffed offers during the season.
“I had to say no a couple of times so far,” Carr said.
The Insiders reported that one of those teams was the Bengals, who contacted Carr after Joe Burrow went down with a turf toe injury.
If the right situation did materialize for the QB, compensation with the Saints, who still hold his contract rights, would have to be worked out. The Insiders suggested that the price wouldn’t be “unreasonable” for a player who has no future in New Orleans. Still, Carr isn’t free to sign with whomever he wants — i.e., if the Atlanta Falcons wanted to bring in the veteran, the Saints could, in theory, play hardball with their rival.
Not for nothing, but David Carr joked several times about the possibility of his younger brother being connected to a “purple and gold” team. The elder Carr quipped that he was referring to being a Lakers fan. The Minnesota Vikings, also, obviously, don purple and gold, and are in need of a veteran QB to push J.J. McCarthy for the starting spot.
