Derek Carr Injury Could Impact Saints' Draft In More Than 1 Way

The Saints need to be very smart in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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

The New Orleans Saints were recently dealt the harsh reality that they might not have their quarterback for the 2025 season.

Derek Carr suffered a shoulder injury, and his season is reportedly in jeopardy. This is a crushing blow for a team that was already reportedly eyeing a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. With Carr out, it should be looked at as nearly a 100 percent chance that the Saints draft a quarterback at some point in the draft.

The Saints could try to land Shedeur Sanders in the first round. Picking him at No. 9 would be the dream for New Orleans, but if it misses out on him, it could land Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe in the second round. If they don't like those fits, quarterbacks like Kyle McCord and Will Howard should be available in the third or fourth round.

But this injury will impact the Saints' draft in more than one way.

While the Saints need to draft a quarterback to fill that role, they're going to need to focus on the entire offense around their new signal caller, too. This means the Saints could look to upgrade their offensive line, tight end room, and wide receiver core in the draft.

The Saints could look to land a star like Tyler Warren or Tetairoa McMillan in the first round if they opt out of drafting Sanders. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Saints spend their first two or three draft picks on offensive stars.

The Carr injury has a much bigger impact on the Saints than many realize.

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