The New Orleans Saints’ 2025 season took an unexpected turn before it even began. Quarterback Derek Carr is now listed as questionable for the year due to a shoulder injury that surfaced last week — an issue that could drastically alter the franchise’s approach heading into the NFL Draft.
With uncertainty surrounding Carr, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders — once projected as a top-three pick — could slide down the board and fall into New Orleans’ lap, potentially triggering a full reset at the position.
Adding fuel to the speculation, one NFL insider floated a bold theory: Carr’s injury announcement might actually be a strategic move by the quarterback himself — a power play rooted in a strained relationship with the franchise that may already be nearing its breaking point.
Mike Florio Believes Derek Carr Is ‘Getting Back’ at Saints
During an episode of Pro Football Talk, NFL insider Mike Florio discussed with former quarterback Chris Simms the theory that Carr’s injury — and the way it was announced — might be part of a plan by Carr to push back against the Saints, who may already be looking to replace him.
“I feel like this was not a boating accident to have this come out when it did 13 days before the draft?” Florio said. “Like, did he just wake up on Friday and say, ‘Oh, oh my arm, it’s broken’? No, no. I doubt that he had no idea.”
The timing of the news was certainly curious. Carr missed seven games during the 2024 season due to unrelated hand and oblique issues. So, a shoulder injury caught everyone completely off guard.
Florio’s theory is that Carr recognized the strained relationship with the Saints and sensed the team might be eyeing a new quarterback — similar to what the Falcons did last season with Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins. In response, Carr may be playing hardball with his availability for 2025.
“They’re treating me this way, I’m going to get them back. I don’t like what they’re doing to me, they don’t want me here, I can tell they don’t want me here, I’m going to get them back a little bit on my way out the door. I got one more year, I don’t want to get benched this year for Shedeur Sanders. Simple as that. If Shedeur Sanders is here, I’m getting benched at some point. If he’s not here, I ain’t getting benched.”
There’s no way to know if Florio’s theory reflects Carr’s true intentions. Still, one thing is clear — the relationship between the quarterback and the Saints appears to be fractured beyond repair. New Orleans experienced constant ups and downs in his two seasons with the team. They posted a winning record in 2023, with Carr starting every game, but failed to replicate that success in 2024.
“When a relationship has gone sideways, you’re going to have both sides engaging in this, this ugly, awkward Michael and Jan dinner party thing that is going to gradually become more obvious. And I just feel, I don’t think this was a coincidence, I think he knew he was injured,” Florio added.
The comparison to Michael and Jan from “The Office” is actually a fitting one — it helps simplify what might be happening behind the scenes in New Orleans. In the show, their relationship becomes unsalvageable after trust is broken, and if that’s the case between Carr and the Saints, then the best move for both sides might be to go their separate ways as soon as possible.