The Insiders on @NFLGameDay with @MikeGarafolo, @TomPelissero and @judybattista: The #Jets are moving on from Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams is likely next; #Saints to decide on Derek Carr’s future soon; #Seahawks still believe in Geno Smith; A look at the changes to replay. pic.twitter.com/BSPHWcDasB
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 9, 2025
The New Orleans Saints aren’t playing today, but here’s your Sunday splash report. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo shared some insight to the team’s big offseason decision on Derek Carr’s future with the team.
“He’s got a $10 million roster bonus that is fully guaranteed. And then he’s got another $30 million in base salary for this upcoming season that becomes guaranteed three days into the league year in March.”
There’s your deadline for the Saints to make a decision, but they’ll really need to act quicker. They’re in the red by more than $50 million and must be compliant with the salary cap no later than March 12. Carr has the heaviest salary cap hit on the team at $51.4 million. You do the math, or check here to see how the Saints could get under the cap after cutting him. It isn’t easy.
Garafolo continued: “So the Saints are gonna have to make a decision on what they want to do with Derek Carr, who does have a no-trade clause I might mention as well. The Saints (are) massively over the salary cap, what else is new, then they start to renegotiate contracts. I do know that quarterbacks who have $40 million basically in guarantees aren’t real quick to give that up. So if the Saints come to Carr and ask him to do that, I think he would resist, and then potentially could be gone.”
Carr has already made it known publicly that he would refuse to accept a pay cut. So the options are to restructure his contract and have this discussion again in 2026, or to try and work with him on a trade. Carr wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause to get from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Saints back in 2023. It’s a safe assumption he wouldn’t waive it to get from the Saints to another new team in 2025, especially if he has options waiting in free agency. That’s a scenario Garafolo sees as realistic.
“If he’s gone I would expect interest from multiple teams out there. There’s not a lot of great options both in free agency and the draft. He’ll have interest,” Garafolo finished.
Sure, the Saints could explore trading Carr. That would be less expensive than cutting him or restructuring his contract. But any team trading for him may prefer waiting to save their draft picks so they could sign him as a free agent, which would mean lowball offers for New Orleans. The quarterback has leverage here. Carr’s future may be in Kellen Moore’s hands if the Saints do officially hire him as their head coach. If Moore can see a path forward with Carr at quarterback, he’ll be back. If the new coach wants a new QB, the Saints could make it happen.
