6 Best Derek Carr Landing Spots as QB Nears NFL Return

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6 Best Derek Carr Landing Spots as QB Nears NFL Return

Andrew Buller-Russ · Sportsnaut

Fri, Feb 27, 2026 ·

3 min read

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Derek Carr retired from the NFL last season after experiencing lingering shoulder pain from a labral tear. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, there's a " strong belief " Carr is "very serious" about unretiring after a full year away from football.

Still under contract with the New Orleans Saints , teams would have to trade for Carr rather than simply be allowed to sign him outright. Though, there's a possibility New Orleans decides to release Carr the moment he unretires to avoid a $36 million cap charge for 2026, the final year of his contract.

In any event, Carr wants to play football again, and there are plenty of QB-needy teams who could be eager to give him a look. Below, we evaluate six teams that could consider adding Carr this offseason.

Atlanta Falcons

NFL: Scouting Combine — Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Now led by two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, the Falcons still have 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. atop the depth chart. But he hasn't proven himself as a bona fide franchise quarterback just yet. The Falcons may view the opportunity to add Carr as a way to raise the floor of the QB room while having him compete with Penix.

Arizona Cardinals

Another team set to move on from its franchise quarterback , the Cardinals will likely bring Jacoby Brissett back after a strong season. But there's no guarantee a new coaching staff will get the same results, which could lead to Arizona capitalizing on Brissett's newfound value. Meanwhile, a team that features one of the NFL's best tight ends in Trey McBride , plus another potential superstar receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr. , may see the value in bringing in another veteran who could immediately lead a winning effort.

Cleveland Browns

The new-look Browns coaching staff appears intrigued by both Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson . Dillon Gabriel is the other QB in Cleveland, but we wouldn't imagine the Browns are ready to give up on the 2025 third-round pick. Yet, they also don't have their franchise QB yet, so adding another arm like Carr this offseason is certainly possible.

New York Jets

There's no telling what the Jets do this offseason, but there's a lot of pressure on second-year head coach Aaron Glenn to get some wins after a woeful 3-14 debut season. Plus, 64-year-old offensive coordinator Frank Reich didn't sign on just to lose a bunch of games. In other words, it shouldn't surprise anyone if the Jets look for a veteran who can get some wins right away, and Carr fits the bill.

Miami Dolphins

Like the Cardinals, who are expected to move on from Kyler Murray , the Dolphins are likely done with Tua Tagovailoa . So, who will they get to replace him? Miami will be operating on a strict budget once they move on from Tagovailoa, who's guaranteed over $50 million in 2025. Meanwhile, Carr hasn't played in a full year and only made it through 10 games in 2024. In other words, he wouldn't break the bank. Carr will need to prove he's healthy and capable of playing at a high level first.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings' QB room is extremely young. So, when they do add a QB this offseason, expect it to be a veteran who may not be a long-term solution. That's where the 11-year-veteran Carr could be a perfect fit, not only serving as a bridge starter, but also by buying more time to evaluate J.J. McCarthy while he fine-tunes his footwork and accuracy. The four-time Pro Bowl QB could not only be a potential high-level starter in Minnesota, but he will also be able to help coach up McCarthy, too.

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