The New Orleans Saints 2025 offseason is no doubt going to be an intriguing one, with cap management, head coaching searches, and whatever free agents they are able to bring in and retain. However, with that in mind, there is also a line to draw between likely and unrealistic. ESPN writer Ben Solak recently put out an article discussing the quarterback market in this offseason. One of the pieces discussed is Derek Carr, and how things could shape up if Sam Darnold returns to the Minnesota Vikings.
In his scenario where Darnold does return, Solak believes the Pittsburgh Steelers could pivot and make a push for Carr via trade:
“While the most likely outcome is that Darnold gets a big deal from someone else in free agency, I remain far less confident than public perception that he gets out of Minnesota. And if he stays, things could get wonky, fast. In Darnold’s absence, I could see the trade market getting hot for a player like Carr, the next-best option for two to three years of acceptable play. The Steelers and coach Mike Tomlin need that plug-and-play fix at quarterback to finally find some postseason wins before seats start to get too hot. Could they work with the Saints to get New Orleans some cap relief in return for Carr’s services? I think it’s doable.”
This is one of the more peculiar suggestions on how to get Carr off the Saints this offseason, but then again when you think about it, the Steelers do need a plug and play starter as Solak mentions. And they do also have a substantial amount of cap space (approximately $40.4 million) where they could eat a large majority of his contract. This would give the Saints the ability to either draft a new quarterback (via trade up, potentially) under whoever their new head coach ends up being, or find a free agent they believe could be serviceable and build around them.
