​The NFL offseason is renowned for sparking surprising roster chatter, but nothing matches the sudden buzz that swells when a proven quarterback contemplates stepping away from retirement. As teams finalize their depth charts ahead of training camps later this month, clubs across the league are assessing veteran options at the quarterback position to address potential gaps.
A four-time Pro Bowl signal-caller has formally kept the door to his playing days ajar, changing the calculus of the midsummer quarterback market. Derek Carr, who previously guided the Las Vegas Raiders and the New Orleans Saints, paused his professional football career in May 2025 due to a labral tear and degenerative changes in his right shoulder. Even though he spent the entire 2025 season away from the field, the 35-year-old passer has signaled that retirement is not necessarily permanent.
During a Friday appearance on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, Carr revealed that his phone has been buzzing this offseason as several front offices probe his availability for the upcoming campaign. “I never say never,” Carr said. “It would take a special situation. There were multiple teams that reached out to me this offseason, and I won’t say who or how, but they reached out and were just gauging my interest. … They’re good, solid football teams, but a couple of them in some different situations. I think I’m just at the point where I just want to win.” While he declined to name the exact teams that contacted him, any formal move toward unretirement would likely involve distinct contractual and legal considerations.
Since Carr left the field while still under contract with New Orleans, the Saints placed him on the reserve/retired list, preserving his exclusive NFL rights for the organization. Consequently, any outside team seeking to acquire the veteran quarterback would need to negotiate a trade or secure an official release from the Saints’ front office. Direct recruitment of Carr without the Saints’ consent would run afoul of the league’s tampering rules.
Carr has said he is enjoying personal time, focusing on his golf game, and maintaining a disciplined training regimen to stay in peak football shape. For a genuine comeback to unfold, he indicated he would only consider joining a legitimate Super Bowl contender that is currently dealing with an immediate quarterback crisis.
As he closes out his 11-year career with the Raiders, where he leaves as the franchise’s all-time leading passer in passing yardage, Carr’s potential return has reshaped the narrative surrounding the NFL’s quarterback landscape this offseason. The possibility of his re-emergence adds a new layer of intrigue to a market that already featured plenty of questions about depth and durability at the most critical position on the field. The coming weeks will reveal whether Carr can navigate the procedural hurdles and find a fit that meets his criteria for a genuine championship pursuit, or if retirement will remain his final act.