Tag: Derek Carr

Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) walks off the field after field after an injury during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Saints QB Derek Carr (hand, concussion) week to week

Posted on | by Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr suffered an injury to his left hand and has also entered concussion protocol, according to interim coach Darren Rizzi.

Rizzi’s Monday news conference came shortly after NFL Network reported that Carr broke his left hand in Sunday’s win over the New York Giants and was expected to miss several weeks.

Rizzi disputed the report Carr has a “major fracture” and said surgery isn’t required. Because the injury is to Carr’s non-throwing hand, it’s feasible he could attempt to play if he clears concussion protocol.

Per NFL Network, the Saints aren’t putting Carr on injured reserve, leaving the door open for a potential return. The Saints have won three of their last four games, but at 5-8, their playoff chances are slim entering Week 15.

New Orleans hosts the Washington Commanders (8-5) on Sunday. Rizzi did not commit to either Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler as the starting quarterback if Carr can’t go.

Carr, who is right-handed, was injured when he tried to leap for a first down late in the final quarter of a 15-11 road win against the New York Giants. He was near the sideline and went airborne, landing hard on the left hand with this face then slamming into the turf as he landed out of bounds with 3:59 left in the game.

Carr completed 20 of 31 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Jake Haener finished up the game for the Saints.

Overall, Carr has passed for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He missed three games earlier this season due to an oblique injury.

–Field Level Media

Oct 13, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) looks on as he is sidelined with an injury during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Saints QB Derek Carr (oblique) practices, expected to play vs. Panthers

Posted on | by Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who hasn’t played since suffering an oblique injury on Oct. 7, returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play Sunday against the host Carolina Panthers.

Carr, who was limited at practice, was expected to miss multiple weeks after the left oblique strain in the 26-13 loss to the host Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5.

“It sucks having to sit there and watch when it wasn’t the most painful thing I’ve ever dealt with,” Carr said Wednesday, referencing the broken ankle at the end of the 2017 season while with the Raiders. “It really wasn’t … it was just a lack of being able to do my job.

“And so that was the most frustrating part, because I couldn’t just play through it, you know? I just literally couldn’t do it,” he continued. “It’s been the most frustrating injury I’ve ever had, besides breaking my ankle and not being able to play in the playoffs that year. … Because there’s literally nothing that I could do but wait and just let it heal.”

The Saints opened the season 2-0 but have lost six in a row — the last three with rookie Spencer Rattler as the starter. Rattler, 24, was a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He has completed 59 of 99 passes (59.6 percent) for 571 yards, one TD and two picks.

New Orleans coach Dennis Allen said that Jake Haener, who replaced Carr in the Chiefs game, will be the top backup, ahead of Rattler.

“We felt like Rattler gave us the best chance at the time, and so I think we’ll see where we’re at come this weekend, what the expectation is. My expectation is that Derek’s going to be ready to go,” Allen said. “In that case, Jake will be the backup. … I don’t want to get into the specifics of the reasons why, but I feel like that’s the best thing for our team.”

Carr has passed for 989 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions this season, his second in New Orleans.

“I am no savior. There’s only been one of those and, that is not me,” Carr said with a laugh. “I am here to be a great leader and to be a great teammate and to do my job the best of my ability. And do I feel confident in what I can do? Absolutely. I feel confident in what I can do. I feel confident in what I can bring to our team. And that’s exciting, right?

“But to save us or anything like that, that’s not me, I’m gonna come in and do what my guys expect me to do. Bring energy, bring effort, be a great teammate. Encourage our guys, get everybody on the same page, lock in the details, hold each other accountable.”

He thanked the Saints’ athletic training staff for getting him back on the field by the end of the month, which he doesn’t believe is too soon or risky.

Carr also related texting with former Saints star QB Drew Brees, who had a similar injury the 2014 preseason and played through it. Brees advised Carr to maintain his mechanics, which he felt suffered when he returned to action.

A four-time Pro Bowl selection during nine seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, Carr has completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 40,089 yards, 250 TDs and 111 interceptions in starting all 164 career regular-season games.

While Carr and running backs Alvin Kamara (hand/rib) and Jamaal Williams (groin) were limited participants on Wednesday, cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) and safety Tyrann Mathieu (illness) were among teammates that missed practice.

–Field Level Media

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) reacts after an injury during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Saints QB Derek Carr (oblique) not expected back this week

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New Orleans quarterback Derek Carr, who hasn’t played since sustaining an oblique injury in Week 5, has resumed throwing but is unlikely to return this week, Saints coach Dennis Allen said Wednesday.

Allen said he expects rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler to start Sunday’s game for the Saints (2-5) against the host Los Angeles Chargers (3-3). Carr took part in throwing sessions on Monday and Tuesday as the coaches gauge his progress.

Rattler, 24, was a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He has started the past two games and has completed 52.7 percent of his passes for 415 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in losses to Tampa Bay (51-27) and Denver (33-10). He is dealing with a hip issue.

Carr, 33, was expected to miss multiple weeks after the injury in the 26-13 loss to the host Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 7. He was replaced by second-year backup Jake Haener, but Rattler made his professional debut the following week.

Carr has passed for 989 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions this season, his second in New Orleans. He was a four-time Pro Bowl selection during nine seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders.

–Field Level Media

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws a pass during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Report: Saints QB Derek Carr (oblique) out multiple games

Posted on | by Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints starting quarterback Derek Carr, who injured his oblique in Monday’s road loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, will miss at least the next two games, NFL Network reported Tuesday.

Carr, 33, is expected to sit out Sunday’s home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) and next Thursday’s home matchup against the Denver Broncos (3-2), according to the report.

In his second season with the Saints (2-3), Carr has completed 90 of his 128 pass attempts (70.3 percent) for 989 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. The four-time Pro Bowl selection, a second-round pick of the Raiders in 2014, spent his first nine seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas franchise and has thrown for 40,089 yards with 250 touchdowns and 111 interceptions in 164 games (all starts).

NFL Network also reported on Tuesday that 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler is a “strong candidate” to fill in while Carr is sidelined.

Rattler, 24, has yet to appear in an NFL game. In the preseason, the former Oklahoma and South Carolina QB completed 20 of 38 attempts for 202 yards and a touchdown with a 76.9 passer rating.

In 48 games over five college seasons, Rattler completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 10,807 yards and 77 touchdowns with 32 interceptions. He rushed for 16 touchdowns and 410 yards and also caught a touchdown.

Jake Haener, who is listed as New Orleans’ co-No. 2 quarterback alongside Rattler, replaced Carr on Monday night and finished 2-of-7 passing for 17 yards. The 25-year-old Haener, a fourth-round pick by the Saints in 2023, threw one pass over two other appearances this season in his only NFL action.

In four college seasons at Washington and Fresno State, Haener completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 9,120 yards, 68 TDs and 18 interceptions in 33 games. He also ran for eight scores.

“The name of the game is to get completions and to move the ball down the field,” Haener told reporters after Monday’s game. “People don’t really care who’s in there and who’s doing it. … The expectation is to move the ball down the field and score.

“If I’ve got to start next week, that’s going to be the same expectation. The reality is no one cares. We’ve got to focus on what we have.”

After averaging 45.5 points in season-opening wins over the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, the Saints have gone 0-3 and scored a total of 49 points.

–Field Level Media

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Saints QB Derek Carr set for MRI on injured oblique

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The New Orleans Saints suffered their third loss in a row on Monday, and that wasn’t the team’s only bad news.

Quarterback Derek Carr, who exited the Saints’ 26-13 road defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs due to an oblique injury, is headed for an MRI exam to assess the extent of the ailment.

His response postgame when asked how he felt?

“Not good,” Carr said. “We’ll get an MRI and all that kind of stuff tomorrow and figure it out.”

The injury occurred as Carr threw an incompletion on fourth-and-8 at the Kansas City 42-yard line with the Saints down by 10 early in the fourth quarter.

Carr was hit by a Chiefs defender on the play, but he said he got hurt on his throwing motion, not on the hit.

He hoped he would be able to return to the game but soon realized that wasn’t a possibility.

“It wasn’t like dealing with pain. … I couldn’t do what I needed to do,” Carr said. “In the simplest form … I asked if there was anything (the medical staff) can do about it, and there was not enough time to do that. So, I would have done anything to be out there and keep fighting, but I couldn’t. It sucks.”

Jake Haener took over as the Saints’ quarterback for the team’s last offensive series, and he completed 2 of 7 passes for 17 yards as New Orleans again turned the ball over on downs near midfield.

Carr finished the night 18 of 28 for 165 yards with two touchdown passes and one interception. On the season, the 33-year-old veteran is completing 70.3 percent of his passes for 989 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions for the Saints (2-3).

The four-time Pro Bowler owns a 74-90 career record as a starter for the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders (2014-22) and New Orleans (2023-24).

–Field Level Media

Jan 7, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) reacts to a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Saints begin annual cap-clearing with QB Derek Carr restructure

Posted on | by Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr agreed to restructure his contract to convert more than $28 million of his scheduled $30 million salary to a bonus, creating sorely needed salary cap relief.

The details of the accounting were confirmed by Spotrac, which projected the Saints to be over the $246 million adjusted salary cap by more than $74 million before the conversion.

The annual salary-gap gymnastics are a matter of course in New Orleans, where it has become typical to reach the required maximum expenditure threshold with extensions and conversions before the NFL league year begins every March.

Carr, 32, signed a four-year, $150 million contract in March 2023 after he was released by the Las Vegas Raiders. His scheduled cap hit for 2024 before the restructure becomes official was $36 million and included a portion of his deferred signing bonus.

–Field Level Media

Dec 3, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) talks to quarterback Taysom Hill (7) against the Detroit Lions during the first half at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Saints’ Derek Carr clears concussion protocol

Posted on | by Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol on Friday and is likely to start against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Carr, who sustained his second documented concussion in three weeks, left the Saints’ 33-28 loss to the Detroit Lions last Sunday with a concussion plus rib and shoulder injuries. It’s the third time this season the 32-year-old quarterback has left a game early due to injury.

Carr, who has yet to miss a start this season despite the injuries, returned to practice Wednesday but was limited. He was a full participant in practice Friday, though he was listed as questionable for DSunday.

“I don’t really have any concerns,” Carr said when asked about the concussion issues. “I did some extra tests and things like that this week, just checking on things. Our doctors and the non-affiliated doctor said everything was perfect, they showed me the results in comparison to things.

“I do not have any worries on that stuff. It didn’t feel like the two were even related to one another. So, for me, that’s just sometimes the price of doing business and playing football. So no concern on that part, long term or short term. Fully confident that I can be all right playing with that part of it.”

Carr, who signed a four-year, $150 million contract in March, has thrown for 2,761 yards with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions in his first season with the Saints. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback has thrown for 37,983 yards with 228 touchdowns and 105 interceptions in 154 games during his 10-year career.

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) is carted off the field after an injury against the Minnesota Vikings during the thrid quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

With QB Derek Carr ailing, Saints turn to Jameis Winston

Posted on | by Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has a rib injury to go along with his second concussion of the season, head coach Dennis Allen said Monday.

Jameis Winston is now in line to start Sunday when the Saints (5-7) host the Carolina Panthers (1-11).

Carr exited Sunday’s 33-28 loss to the visiting Detroit Lions with multiple injuries and returned to concussion protocol after also coming away with a head injury in a Week 10 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Carr was injured Sunday when he took a hit to the abdomen from Lions pass-rusher Bruce Irvin. He stayed on the ground as team medical personnel examined him. A cart was pulled up but Carr eventually walked to the medical tent on his own power then later walked to the locker room.

Carr completed 17 of 22 passes for 226 yards, one touchdown and one interception before exiting. Winston completed 2 of 5 passes for 41 yards and Taysom Hill threw two incompletions for the Saints.

Winston made 70 starts in 72 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over his first five NFL seasons, but in four seasons with the Saints, he has started 10 times in just 19 games of action.

In five games this season, Winston has completed 53.2 percent of his passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. In nine career seasons, he has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 22,104 yards, 141 TDs and 99 interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) passes against the Minnesota Vikings in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Saints QB Derek Carr (concussion) fully participates in practice

Posted on | by Field Level Media

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who remains in concussion protocol, was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice.

The Saints (5-5), who had a bye last week, visit the Atlanta Falcons (4-6) on Sunday.

Carr would have to be cleared from concussion protocol to play Sunday. He left the 27-19 loss at the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 12 with a concussion.

Jameis Winston finished that game and would be in line to start Sunday if Carr doesn’t progress through the NFL-mandated protocol.

Carr has completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 2,231 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions over his first 10 starts with New Orleans following a nine-year tenure with the Raiders franchise.

Saints defensive end Isaiah Foskey (quadricep) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday.

Players who did not participate due to injury or illness were cornerback Marshon Lattimore (ankle), guard/tackle James Hurst (illness) and running back Kendre Miller (ankle).

Tight end Jimmy Graham and tackle Ryan Ramczyk got rest days from practice.

–Field Level Media