Speculation Spotrac article says signs are pointing to a Derek Carr release (12 Viewers)

[jahsoul357]

Honestly, the thing that I hate most about the situation is we saw what he did to Las Vegas with a no trade clause and then we turn around and give him a no trade clause but like others have said, I trust Kellen to make the right decision.

 

[guillermo]

I think the key may be Kellen Moore's contract.

If he got a 5 year deal, with a two year window to clean up roster and rebuild, he may go and do his own thing.

If he is expected to win and be competitive from day one, then he should keep Carr at least for a year and build around him until he has certainty he has a better option at the position.

 

[ilvdsnts]

Thats not happening here with a soft rebuild when we have no cap space, and by saying he won’t take a pay cut he’s clearly not willing to give them the flexibility to bring in a top FA or 2 that might make them competitive.

Just because he's not willing to take a paycut to give them the flexibility to bring in a top FA or 2 that might make them competitive doesn't mean he's not willing to restructure to do the same thing.

 

[SailorJerrysHorse]

Just because he's not willing to take a paycut to give them the flexibility to bring in a top FA or 2 that might make them competitive doesn't mean he's not willing to restructure to do the same thing.

I understand that, but my point is he knows he’s gone in 2026 regardless and if there is a team in better shape who will name him a starter and give him more years I would guess he might be more down than he was when in the same position in Oakland. Again, just saying perhaps the idea of a trade is not off the table completely. Still unlikely, but not impossible.

 

[St. Widge]

I think the key may be Kellen Moore's contract.

If he got a 5 year deal, with a two year window to clean up roster and rebuild, he may go and do his own thing.

If he is expected to win and be competitive from day one, then he should keep Carr at least for a year and build around him until he has certainty he has a better option at the position.

I think that's true, but I would think Moore got at least a 5 year contract and there were rumors it might be 6 years. Plus we heard reports that the Saints told Moore that they would be patient with him.

 

[meily]

Honestly, the thing that I hate most about the situation is we saw what he did to Las Vegas with a no trade clause and then we turn around and give him a no trade clause but like others have said, I trust Kellen to make the right decision.

Whether he had a no trade clause or not, we have seen teams get better by releasing veteran QB's and just biting the bullet and not letting their contract keep you hostage when you want to go another direction.

Going with a young signal caller to replace your high priced vet is again trending forward (See: Broncos)

 

[St. Widge]

Just because he's not willing to take a paycut to give them the flexibility to bring in a top FA or 2 that might make them competitive doesn't mean he's not willing to restructure to do the same thing.

He has no choice but to restructure. It's part of his contract. But restructuring him pushes money forward and hurts our ability to have cap space to improve the team in future years. If he is cut, it means less money for this year, but then we get to spend his $30 million salary on other players in future years.

 

[soggymoss84]

I understand that, but my point is he knows he’s gone in 2026 regardless and if there is a team in better shape who will name him a starter and give him more years I would guess he might be more down than he was when in the same position in Oakland. Again, just saying perhaps the idea of a trade is not off the table completely. Still unlikely, but not impossible.

The more I look at Carr’s contract and compare it to what he would get as a FA on the open market, the more I think he would be better off getting traded than cut. His contract even having the NTC was kind of smart by Mickey.

1st: The 10 million guaranteed roster bonus has offset language, so anywhere he would sign for any amount of money he would owe 10 million back to Saints automatically.

2nd: There’s no team out there that would give him a 2 year 90 million dollar contract on the market. This is what he is owed his next two seasons if he is traded.

3rd: I see Carr getting around a 2-3 year deal for 20-25 million a year max, and he may even have to take a deal like Darnold and others have done in recent years along a 1/10 deal. He would be much better served on a 1/40 deal that he is currently on if he were traded and the receiving team decided to move on after a season.

Unlike it was with the Raiders, he is in a spot right now where he would stand to lose a whole bunch of money if cut vs being traded. On the receiving teams side its low risk to trade for him as you could immediately move on if you didn’t think it would work out and not have any dead cap hit. All you would lose is maybe a 5th and 6th round pick at most.

 

[BBarnes]

This is simply an opinion of them. No signs point to anything particular right now.

 

[Elvis]

Just because he's not willing to take a paycut to give them the flexibility to bring in a top FA or 2 that might make them competitive doesn't mean he's not willing to restructure to do the same thing.

For clarification for everyone reading, there is no amount of him being "willing to restructure" and if he's restructured it isn't because he's doing anyone a favor. He doesn't have a choice in the matter either way, it's was written in his contract that it can be restructured at any time the team wants to. All Saints players have that as standard language.

 

[MikeyF]

The more I look at Carr’s contract and compare it to what he would get as a FA on the open market, the more I think he would be better off getting traded than cut. His contract even having the NTC was kind of smart by Mickey.

1st: The 10 million guaranteed roster bonus has offset language, so anywhere he would sign for any amount of money he would owe 10 million back to Saints automatically.

2nd: There’s no team out there that would give him a 2 year 90 million dollar contract on the market. This is what he is owed his next two seasons if he is traded.

3rd: I see Carr getting around a 2-3 year deal for 20-25 million a year max, and he may even have to take a deal like Darnold and others have done in recent years along a 1/10 deal. He would be much better served on a 1/40 deal that he is currently on if he were traded and the receiving team decided to move on after a season.

Unlike it was with the Raiders, he is in a spot right now where he would stand to lose a whole bunch of money if cut vs being traded. On the receiving teams side its low risk to trade for him as you could immediately move on if you didn’t think it would work out and not have any dead cap hit. All you would lose is maybe a 5th and 6th round pick at most.

He could be traded & restructured...
There are always options.

There isn't a clear path for any of the options that we have with him...
We will have to see what the staff decides to do.

 

[soggymoss84]

He could be traded & restructured...
There are always options.

There isn't a clear path for any of the options that we have with him...
We will have to see what the staff decides to do.

Yes he can be traded and restructured, but that would still give him his full 40 million he is under contract for this season. He wouldn’t get that as a free agent.

Carr would lose possibly tens of millions if he chose to be cut over traded

 

[Henny78]

Ill be the first to tell, I wasn't to excited about Kellen Moore hire. The juice's are following now, we could be headed in the right direction! Who Dat!

 

[saintfan1972]

If they decided to move on from Carr, I could see this being the conversation.
Loomis- Derek, we appreciate what you've done for us but we are going to move in a different direction. We are going to try and trade you.

Derek- But I have a no trade clause.

Loomis- Yeah you do, but if you don't
wave it then we will cut you and then you won't get the kind of money we are paying you on the open market. So I believe it would be in your best interest to wave it.

Derek- Where are you wanting to send me?

Loomis- Wherever we get the best deal.

I mean Carr isn't the worst but if he were very good this wouldn't even be in the conversation. Whatever they decide I'm fine with. Not my decision anyways so I will support our Saints either way

 

[greatshow25]

He has no choice but to restructure. It's part of his contract. But restructuring him pushes money forward and hurts our ability to have cap space to improve the team in future years. If he is cut, it means less money for this year, but then we get to spend his $30 million salary on other players in future years.

Yes you get that 30 mil on June 2nd.