Panthers floated as wild trade spot for 4-time Pro Bowl QB

Could the Carolina Panthers swing a wild trade for this four-time Pro Bowl quarterback?

Dec 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws before a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints could be headed for an unhappy ending, as the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is refusing to take a pay cut to remain with the team.

While Carr acknowledged that he would restructure his contract, it appears that the Saints may want to move on from him to begin the Spencer Rattler era.

As a result, the veteran signal-caller could hit the trade block, and while he isn't exactly an elite player at his position, he is at least serviceable.

Anthony Palacios of Last Word On Sports has put together a list of teams that could potentially pursue Carr, and he listed the Carolina Panthers among them.

"It’s hard to determine if the Carolina Panthers are going to have faith in quarterback Bryce Young. After benching him in the past 2024 campaign, the Panthers might search for a new signal-caller if they feel Young isn’t the future," Palacios wrote. "However, a veteran like Derek Carr could solve the problems the Panthers have no matter the pass catchers they have and that was evident in New Orleans with Chris Olave as pretty much the only reliability."

A Carr-to-Carolina move seems rather improbable for a couple of reasons.

First of all, the Panthers now seem pretty comfortable heading into 2025 with Young under center. Yes, they could always use a backup, but Carr would almost surely want to have a chance at starting somewhere.

Second, it seems rather doubtful that New Orleans would trade Carr within the division, even if the 33-year-old has been a considerable disappointment in the Bayou.

Plus, Carr has two years left on his deal at a combined $70 million in base salary. Carolina almost surely does not want to take on that contract.

Carr may get moved somewhere this offseason, but it almost certainly won't be to the Panthers.

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