Blast for the Past Ends Up in Vikings QB Rumors
You’ve reached the Derek Carr portion of the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason. The veteran signal-caller entered the purple rumor mill this week after reports indicated that the 34-year-old may want back in the big leagues.
It’s probably smoke, but Carr’s name fits the offseason carousel: a veteran bridge, a familiar resume, and a reasonable price tag.
Needing a quarterback to partner with J.J. McCarthy in 2026, the Vikings, in theory, could explore what it would take to pry Carr away from the New Orleans Saints, who still own his contractual rights. Carr previously retired last May.
Derek Carr Pops Up in the Vikings’ 2026 Quarterback Carousel
Every avenue at QB has been exhausted for the Vikings’ rumor mill this offseason, and we’re only a month in.
Carr Could Reenter NFL
Carr will be a name in the quarterback carousel this offseason. NFL.com reported Monday, “As quarterback injuries mounted this season and into the playoffs, teams conducted due diligence on Carr, trying to gather information as to whether the former Saints franchise passer would consider coming out of retirement, sources tell The Insiders.”
“The Bengals, for instance, contacted Carr after Joe Burrow went down with his turf toe injury. That work continues, and an offseason of quarterback uncertainty — with limited options in free agency, trades and the draft — makes Carr a possible solution in the right situation.”
Carr started 10 games for the 2024 Saints, fired up a 15-touchdown to 5-interception split, and his team finished 5-5 on his watch.
NFL.com continued, “The Saints still hold Carr’s rights, though Tyler Shough’s impressive rookie season, the amicable end to Carr’s time in New Orleans and the way the sides worked through any salary-cap issues add up to his tolled contract being an unlikely hurdle in the process.”
“The Saints could ask for compensation in a trade, though the price surely wouldn’t be an unreasonable ask for a player who has no future in New Orleans.”
The Vikings’ Would-Be Interest
There is no explicit interest from the Vikings in Carr; we haven’t reached that juncture of the offseason. That’s a few weeks away, if any.
But that didn’t stop Vikings-themed websites and voices from running with the Carr-to-MIN theory. For example, Minnesota Sports Fan‘s Eric Strack wrote, “Obviously, Cincinnati won’t be a landing spot for Derek Carr anymore. But I know a place that would be. Out of all the quarterbacks the Vikings could go for, Carr might be the best realistic option, if he really is as healthy as Rapoport claims he is.”
“The Vikings have made it abundantly clear to other teams and NFL insiders that ‘all bets are off’ this offseason, in their search for a veteran quarterback. And if you put Carr up against Kirk Cousins or Mac Jones… he might be the best of all three options.”
Vikings-oriented social media accounts, especially on X, ran with the Carr idea.
NJ.com‘s Chris Franklin named the Vikings and the Dolphins as two clubs that express interest in Carr. He noted on Minnesota, “Another team to watch would be the Minnesota Vikings. Last year’s starter J.J. McCarthy struggled mightily, completing just 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.”
“Vikings head coach and offensive play-caller Kevin O’Connell will need to boost his offense to not only keep him off the hot seat but also to maximize the talent of wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who had career lows in receiving yards (1,048) and touchdowns (two). The Vikings would also have to hope their banged-up offensive line, including left tackle Christian Darrisaw and center Ryan Kelly, remains healthy.”
Carr’s Career Resume
Scaled to a 17-game season, Carr’s numbers, on average, look like this since his career began in 2014:
- 4,148 Passing Yards
- 26 Passing TDs
- 11 INTs
- 65.1% Completion
It’s worth noting that the average includes his prime years; Carr will be 35 when the 2026 regular season begins.
Here’s his NFL ranking per season in EPA+CPOE in the last decade:
2016: 16th
2017: 19th
2018: 18th
2019: 7th
2020: 10th
2021: 15th
2022: 21st
2023: 15th
2024: 13th
With that efficiency, Carr would likely drag Minnesota to the postseason but stumble before the Super Bowl — a story fans know too well.
Just Another Name in the Hopper
For now, Carr is just another name for the Vikings to consider in an offseason when they want to sign or trade for an extra quarterback. McCarthy will need an insurance policy or outright competition. Carr can provide either.
The annoying part of the blooming Carr sweepstakes is the Saints’ control. His next team must work out terms to take him away from New Orleans, and that might involve a draft pick. Most expect that draft capital to be negligible — like a 6th- or 7th-Round selection — but it won’t be as easy as signing Carr from free agency. The Saints hold the cards.
Carr has thrown for over 4,000 yards in a season four times.
Minnesota will operate this offseason, at least for a while, without an official general manager after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired on January 30th. Rob Brzezinski holds an interim title, and he’s worked for the Vikings since 1999.
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