Fri Apr 11 21:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Saints QB Derek Carr Faces Potential Shoulder Surgery, Clouding Team’s Draft Plans
**New Orleans, LA** – New Orleans Saints starting quarterback Derek Carr is facing a potential shoulder injury that could require surgery and impact his availability for the upcoming season, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. This latest setback adds to a concerning trend of injuries for Carr since joining the Saints. Last season, he missed seven games due to oblique and hand injuries.
The news throws a wrench into the Saints’ offseason plans, particularly their approach to the upcoming NFL Draft. The team, which hasn’t drafted a quarterback in the first round since 1971, is now considering breaking that streak to find a long-term solution at the position. Carr’s injury, the specifics of which remain unclear, comes as the Saints recently restructured his contract, extending his tenure with the team but also creating significant dead money that would lessen the financial impact of an early separation.
While the Saints have resisted calls for a rebuild, Carr’s injury history and the team’s substantial financial commitments to other players (including significant dead money related to Marshon Lattimore, Taysom Hill, and Ryan Ramczyk) complicate their situation. The team’s already tight salary cap and the potential for Carr’s absence significantly impact their strategic approach to the draft. Whether the team will prioritize finding a potential replacement in the draft or risk another season relying heavily on a potentially injury-prone quarterback remains to be seen. The severity of Carr’s shoulder injury and the decision regarding surgery will be crucial in shaping the Saints’ future.
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