Saints' Derek Carr Mystery Injury Sparks Cleveland Browns Trade Rumors

As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, speculation is mounting about the future of New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr. The four-time Pro Bowler's reported shoulder injury has raised eyebrows across the league, with some insiders suggesting it might be more about facilitating a trade than actual physical limitations.

Earlier this month, news broke that Carr could potentially miss the entire 2025 season due to a shoulder injury. What made the announcement especially suspicious was the complete absence of prior indications that the quarterback was dealing with any significant health issues.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic recently cast doubt on the legitimacy of Carr’s injury. On her “Scoop City” podcast, Russini revealed that many around the league believe the news could be a smokescreen to grease the wheels for a trade.

“I did have a lot of text messages and conversations over the last few days about the Derek Carr situation, and it was very hard for me to find someone in football who said, ‘Oh, Derek’s definitely dealing with a serious shoulder injury,’” Russini said.

She elaborated further on The Herd, stating bluntly that Carr "no longer wants to be in New Orleans," and described the entire situation as “peculiar.” According to Russini, the Saints may feel the same way.

The timing only deepens the intrigue. Earlier this offseason, New Orleans restructured Carr’s contract, converting his $30 million 2025 base salary into a signing bonus to create cap space—a move that typically signals commitment. Now, that same financial move complicates any trade scenario by increasing Carr’s dead cap hit.

If the Saints opt to move on from Carr, a post–June 1 trade would be necessary to make the cap implications more manageable. That scenario would allow the team to split the dead cap over two seasons, easing the financial blow.

As for where Carr might land, Ross Jackson of Locked On Saints and LouisianaSports.Net has mentioned the Cleveland Browns as a potential destination, depending on how their quarterback situation evolves heading into the summer.

Regardless of where Carr ends up, the next few weeks promise to be telling. The Saints are reportedly in the market for a quarterback in the upcoming draft, and Carr’s “injury” may provide the opening the team needs to reset its future under center.

Russini may have put it best: “They either got to get some marriage counseling or just part ways.”