<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/saints-news-derek-carr-alvin-kamara-out-week-16-packers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Saints’ Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara ruled out for Week 16 vs. Packers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Saints-news-Derek-Carr-Alvin-Kamara-ruled-out-for-Week-16-vs-Packers.jpg"></figure><h1>Saints’ Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara ruled out for Week 16 vs. Packers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-21T13:59:09-08:00">December 21st, 1:59pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-21T13:59:09-08:00">December 21st, 1:59pm</time><address><a>Dakota Zientek</a>Dakota Zientek graduated from the University of Iowa in 2020 and has been writing about the NFL ever since. As a die-hard NFL fan, Dakota's fandom rides with the Chicago Bears through thick and thin -- regardless of how much pain it has caused his heart throughout the years. One day, he believes he will celebrate the Bears winning a Super Bowl. Maybe even... a few?</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Green Bay Packers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-vs-packers-predictions-pick-odds-spread-for-nfl-week-16-2024">New Orleans Saints visit the Green Bay Packers</a> on Monday Night of Week 16, <a href="https://x.com/MikeTriplett/status/1870575529616945253" rel="noopener">they’ll be without</a> Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara on offense, per Mike Triplett on X.</p><p>“Saints’ Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara officially out for Monday at Green Bay, per Darren Rizzi,” Triplett wrote.</p><p>Triplett <a href="https://x.com/MikeTriplett/status/1870575795556757821" rel="noopener">added to Rizzi’s comments</a>, noting Carr’s progress.</p><p>“Rizzi said Derek Carr has been progressing in recent days, getting grip strength back etc,” Triplett wrote. “Just not enough yet to play on Monday.”</p><p>As both teams enter this game off different outcomes last week, the Saints hope to bounce back from their loss to the Washington Commanders.</p><p>On the other side of that coin, the Packers are hoping to build off their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/jets-news-aaron-rodgers-hilariously-disses-seahawks-fans-packers-lumen-field-takeover">win against the Seattle Seahawks</a>.</p><p>Based on what Darren Rizzi told reporters, the Packers will face off against a Saints team without two of their key offensive starters.</p><p>Instead of Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara, the Saints will have <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-spencer-rattler-named-qb1-jake-haener-disaster">rookie Spencer Rattler</a> and a mixture of Kendre Miller and Jamaal Williams.</p><h2><b>Saints QB Spencer Rattler starting vs. Packers with Derek Carr out Week 16</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Spencer-Rattler.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-newsderek-carr-very-unlikely-return-season-hand-injury">Carr possibly missing the rest of the regular season</a>, the Saints gave <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-darren-rizzi-explains-benching-jake-haener-vs-commanders">backup quarterback Jake Haener</a> a chance to start.</p><p>As a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Haener completed only four passes in his Week 15 start, adding 49 yards and an interception to his stat sheet.</p><p>However, coming out of halftime, Rattler took over quarterbacking duties, nearly leading a comeback victory for the Saints.</p><p>While Rattler’s stat sheet wasn’t impeccable against the Commanders, he completed 10-of-21 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown pass.</p><p>Rattler has appeared in three other games in 2024, taking Carr’s place in Weeks 6-8.</p><p>In those three other appearances, Rattler completed 57.5% of his passes for 706 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.</p><p>As a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, expectations from the rookie quarterback were tame. Some thought he could be an NFL-caliber quarterback, while others worried about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-tyrann-mathieu-gets-100-real-on-relating-to-spencer-rattlers-character-concerns">character issues with Rattler</a>.</p><p>However, with the Saints nearly eliminated from the NFL Playoff Picture, they’ll need a strong performance from their fifth-round rookie quarterback against the Packers— another team <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/packers-cant-underestimate-saints-mnf-clash-playoff-chase">battling for the postseason</a>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Saints’ Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara ruled out for Week 16 vs. Packers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/saints-packers-matchup-must-end-derek-carr-charade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Saints, Packers matchup must end Derek Carr charade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Saints-Packers-matchup-must-end-Derek-Carr-charade.jpg"></figure><h1>Saints, Packers matchup must end Derek Carr charade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-19T20:15:44-08:00">December 19th, 8:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T20:15:44-08:00">December 19th, 8:15pm</time><address><a>Andrew Kulha</a>Andrew Kulha has been a professional sports writer since 2010. His work has been featured in publications such as Bleacher Report, 247Sports, Yardbarker, Forbes, Saturday Tradition, Saturday Down South, Prep Hoops and many others.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-new-verge-signing-derek-carr">New Orleans Saints made an investment in Derek Carr</a> in the 2023 offseason to the tune of a four-year, $150 million contract with $100 of that guaranteed. Carr had never been a superstar in his career, but he’s always been a well-above average quarterback who could make big-time plays with good talent around him.</p><p>Would that have made Carr the Saints’ “franchise quarterback”? At that point in his career, not necessarily. That’s a term usually reserved for young superstars like Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Those quarterbacks will likely never play for any other franchise other than their own outside of a late-career change like a Tom Brady (which was extremely successful) <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/jets-news-stephen-a-smith-destroys-aaron-rodgers-legacy">or Aaron Rodgers (which has been not as successful)</a>.</p><p>The Saints signed Carr to be a playoff-level quarterback who could help them get back to the mountaintop if all the pieces fell together right, though. That’s not a franchise quarterback, but Carr is a highly-respected veteran within the NFL’s quarterback hierarchy and he’s an important part of the Saints’ franchise in the here and now.</p><p>In 2023, his first year in New Orleans, the Saints were 9-8 and missed the playoffs. Carr threw for 3,878 yards and 25 touchdowns with just eight interceptions, meaning it was one of the better seasons of his career. It was certainly a step up from New Orleans’ 2022 season, which saw the Saints go 7-10 with Andy Dalton as the team’s top passer.</p><p>The Saints were supposed to be moving in a positive direction in Carr’s second year in New Orleans, but 2024 has been an unmitigated disaster for all involved. They started off 2-0 with dominant wins over the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, but then proceeded to go on a seven-game losing streak <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-dennis-allen-breaks-silence-on-new-orleans-firing#:~:text=The%20New%20Orleans%20Saints%20have,coach%20Dennis%20Allen%20on%20Monday.">that got head coach Dennis Allen fired</a>.</p><p>Carr has been middling, at best, this season, but he’s also been banged up. His latest injury (a fracture in his non-throwing hand as well as a concussion) <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-derek-carr-final-week-15-injury-update">kept him out of the Saints’ Week 15 game against the Washington Commanders</a>, and Spencer Rattler is slated to be the starter in Week 16 against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football if Carr is once again ruled out.</p><p>Frankly, he should be, so why are we still playing this game? The Saints are 5-9 and ESPN’s NFL Football Power Index gives them <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/fpi/_/view/projections" rel="noopener">zero shot to make the playoffs</a> in 2024. There’s nothing to play for at this point, and even if Carr wants to come back and he’s trying to come back in time for this Monday Night Football clash with the Packers…the Saints should highly consider just sitting him for the rest of this season if they plan on him being their quarterback in 2025.</p><p>Oddly enough, though, interim head coach Darren Rizzi <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43064257/saints-start-qb-rattler-carr-rb-alvin-kamara-likely-out" rel="noopener">does not at all sound intent</a> on ruling Carr out as he looks to come back from the left hand fracture, per Katherine Terrell of ESPN.</p><p>“If he was done for the season, we would’ve put him on IR by now and we would’ve shut him down. It’s just not the case,” Rizzi said. “He’s working his tail off every day. He’s frustrated by some of the reports. Quite frankly, we’ve had multiple conversations about it and he’s in here every day. He had one of his best days today, so as soon as he’s able to function and as soon as he’s able to go out there and get some functionality back in his hand, we’ll do that.”</p><h2><b>Saints have to shut down Derek Carr for season</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/The-Saints-need-to-shut-down-Derek-Carr.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It’s worth noting that the Monday Night Football-ness of this week’s game will give Carr an additional day of rest, so he certainly could come back to play against the Packers if all parties involved felt he was ready.</p><p>It doesn’t make any sense to keep this charade up, though. If the Saints were in the middle of a playoff hunt? Sure, it would make sense to exhaust every option to get Carr back on the field. Heck, if they were even mildly on the bubble, it may still be worth the risk he would incur against a Packers defense that has been playing strong football as of late and is coming off a seven sack performance against the Seattle Seahawks that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/seahawks-news-geno-smiths-concerning-knee-injury-important-update-packers-game">knocked starter Geno Smith out of the game</a> with a knee injury.</p><p>It just isn’t worth it for the Saints to put Carr in harms way if a likely loss is coming whether he or Rattler is playing against the Pack. Keep in mind, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-new-orleans-alvin-kamara-suffered-season-ending-injury">star running back Alvin Kamara might be out for the season himself</a>, so there’s just not much to gain here if you’re Carr or the Saints.</p><p>If Carr is New Orleans’ plan for 2025, it makes no sense to keep him from starting a full offseason rehab program immediately. Even if he’s not, though, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-rumors-saints-30-million-derek-carr-complication">and they’re able to get out of his contract</a>, sending out a respected veteran to get beat up on national television is not the way you attract free agents in the future.</p><p>There are egos on the line, sure, but the smart move is for the Saints to officially shut Carr down. If they can’t let go of that charade just yet, in no way should he play on Monday Night Football.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Saints, Packers matchup must end Derek Carr charade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl-rumors-saints-30-million-derek-carr-complication');   ga('set', 'title', 'NFL rumors: The Saints’ $30 million Derek Carr complication');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/0-The-Saints-30-million-Derek-Carr-complication-0.jpg"></figure><h1>NFL rumors: The Saints’ $30 million Derek Carr complication</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T09:28:07-08:00">December 18th, 9:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T09:28:07-08:00">December 18th, 9:28am</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. A die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic, Brayden further channels his baseball enthusiasm through his podcast, where he delves into the latest in sports with engaging commentary. He also serves as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School. His commitment to sports journalism is evident in his diverse experiences with ContraCosta.news and his dedication to delivering compelling and insightful content.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">New Orleans Saints</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-newsderek-carr-very-unlikely-return-season-hand-injury">New Orleans Saints find themselves at a pivotal crossroads</a> regarding quarterback Derek Carr. With Carr sidelined due to a concussion and a broken left hand, his contract situation has grown increasingly complicated as the offseason looms. Carr’s deal includes $40 million in guaranteed money for 2025, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-new-orleans-23-million-derek-carr-contract">structured as $10 million in fully guaranteed roster bonuses and $30 million</a> in guarantees contingent on his ability to pass a physical.  The $30 million becomes fully guaranteed at the start of the new league year in March, leaving the Saints <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/43022769/nfl-week-16-buzz-news-updates-fantasy-tips-predictions-questions" rel="noopener">with a tight window to make a decision.</a></p><p>“If the Saints want to move on from Carr after this season, they’d have to release him before that $30 million becomes fully guaranteed. But because it’s injury-guaranteed, they would have to prove he can pass a physical and be cleared to play before the date on which it becomes fully guaranteed.” via Dan Graziano of ESPN.</p><p>This scenario presents a challenging predicament. If Carr cannot pass a physical by March, the Saints cannot release him without triggering the injury-guaranteed $30 million. Should the team attempt to cut him while he claims he isn’t fully healed, it would <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/derek-carr-saints-inch-toward-a-possible-30-million-showdown" rel="noopener">likely lead to a grievance</a> filed by Carr and the NFL Players Association to secure the funds.</p><h2><b>The Saints have a $30M decision to make this offseason</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Derek-Carr.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Saints’ decision will be further complicated by their broader organizational changes. Following a lackluster 2024 season, a new coaching staff is expected to take over, and any incoming regime might prefer a fresh start at quarterback. Despite Carr’s reputation as a steady veteran presence, the Saints haven’t found much success with him under center, fueling speculation that they might consider moving on.</p><p>This isn’t the first time Carr’s contract guarantees have placed a team in a precarious position. Two years ago, the Las Vegas Raiders benched Carr late in the season to avoid triggering similar injury-related guarantees. The Saints might now regret not taking similar precautions.</p><p>For New Orleans, much hinges on whether Carr can recover from both the concussion and the two fractures in his left hand before the March deadline. Should his injuries linger, the Saints could face a costly arbitration battle with $30 million at stake. Alternatively, they could decide to retain Carr and pay the full $40 million, but this could clash with the vision of a new coaching staff seeking to retool the roster. The coming months will be crucial as the Saints weigh their options in what could become a high-stakes decision with significant financial and roster implications.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NFL rumors: The Saints’ $30 million Derek Carr complication

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/saints-newsderek-carr-very-unlikely-return-season-hand-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Saints’ Derek Carr ‘very unlikely’ to return this season with hand injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Saints-news-Derek-Carr-gets-eye-opening-injury-update-after-missing-Thursday-Night-Football.jpg"></figure><h1>Saints’ Derek Carr ‘very unlikely’ to return this season with hand injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T07:32:39-08:00">December 17th, 7:32am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T07:49:54-08:00">December 17th, 7:49am</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">New Orleans Saints</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-new-orleans-new-qb-derek-carr-injury">appears that New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has already played his last game</a> in the 2024 NFL regular season.</p><p>Carr was ruled out with a hand injury for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-derek-carr-final-week-15-injury-update">Week 15’s Saints game versus the Washington Commanders last Sunday</a> at Caesars Superdome and is <a href="https://x.com/RapSheet/status/1869039427491971153" rel="noopener">reportedly “very unlikely” to see action</a> going forward in the 2024 campaign, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL  Network.</p><p>“Sources: #Saints QB Derek Carr underwent further examination recently and he’s at least a few weeks away from being able to withstand contact,” posted Rapoport on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday morning. “With 3 weeks remaining, a return this season is described as very unlikely. Carr has been out with a left hand fractured in two places,” Rapoport added.</p><p>With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-week-15-qb-decision-derek-carr-injury">Derek Carr sidelined in Week 15</a>, the Saints went with Jake Haener as their starter under center. However, Haener proved to be ineffective, as he went 4-of-10 for 49 passing yards with zero touchdowns. He was intercepted and got sacked three times for a loss of 29 yards before he was replaced by Spencer Rattler, who did better but not enough for the Saints to avoid a 20-19 loss to the Commanders. Rattler finished the game with 135 passing yards and a touchdown with zero interceptions on 10-fo-21 pass completions.</p><h2><b>The Saints don’t have to risk aggravating Derek Carr’s injury amid a seemingly lost season</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Derek-Carrs-season-likely-over-after-fracturing-hand-vs.-Giants-1.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Saints are technically still in the hunt for a spot in the NFL playoffs but with a 5-9 record and only three more weeks left in the 2024 regular season, New Orleans is going to need something close to a miracle to sneak into the postseason. They are currently just third as well in the NFC South division, behind the 8-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the 7-7- Atlanta Falcons. Given the circumstances, the risk of aggravating Carr’s injury for the extremely remote chance to make the playoffs just doesn’t seem like a sensible move at the moment for the Saints.</p><p>Carr, who inked a four-year contract worth $150 million with the Saints in 2023, would finish his 2024 season with 2.145 passing yards and 15 touchdowns against five interceptions on a 67.7 percent completion rate if he does indeed not play another game this year.</p><p>The Saints will take on the Green Bay Packers on the road in Week 16 before their final home game of the season in Week 17 versus the Las Vegas Raiders. New Orleans’ regular-season finale will be against the Buccaneers in Week 18.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Saints’ Derek Carr ‘very unlikely’ to return this season with hand injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/saints-news-derek-carr-final-week-15-injury-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'Saints’ Derek Carr gets final Week 15 injury update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Saints-news-Derek-Carr-gets-final-Week-15-injury-update.jpg"></figure><h1>Saints’ Derek Carr gets final Week 15 injury update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-14T14:04:06-08:00">December 14th, 2:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-14T14:04:06-08:00">December 14th, 2:04pm</time><address><a href="https://medium.com/bingeable">Sonny Giuliano</a>Sonny Giuliano is an experienced sports writer for ClutchPoints who has been covering the NFL, NCAA Football, NBA, and NCAA Basketball for well over a decade. Originally from the small town of Elba, New York, Sonny received his degree from Florida Gulf Coast University and currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">New Orleans Saints</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Going into the weekend, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr was listed as doubtful for Sunday’s matchup against the Washington Commanders with both <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-derek-carr-leaves-giants-clash-injury">a fractured left hand and a concussion that he suffered on one devastating play</a> late in the game against the New York Giants last weekend.</p><p>Given the severity of both of these injuries, it seems reasonable to believe that Carr’s season is <i>likely </i>over, though the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-derek-carr-season-likely-over-fracturing-hand-giants">Saints have yet to rule the 11-year veteran out for the season</a>. Until Saturday afternoon, they hadn’t even ruled Carr out <i>this Sunday. </i>However, according to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, Carr was <a href="https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1868038808933155137" rel="noopener">officially downgraded to out</a> against the Commanders.</p><p>Carr is 5-5 as the Saints starter this season, and 14-13 since joining the franchise ahead of the 2023 season. The absence of the 33-year-old signal caller opens the door for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/saints-news-jake-haener-drops-immediate-reaction-to-starting-in-week-15">Jake Haener, a second-year 4th round pick out of Fresno State, to get his first career start</a> as the Saints continue to fight to remain in postseason contention under interim head coach Darren Rizzi.</p><h2><b>Saints’ slim playoff hopes rest on the shoulders of Jake Haener </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jake-Haener-gets-ready-to-throw-a-pass.jpg?w=1024"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jake Haener will be getting his first career start on Sunday afternoon, but due to injuries to both Carr and Taysom Hill throughout the season, he <i>has </i>seen the field this year. In limited action, Haener has completed 14-of-29 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown. To get himself ready for the difficult challenge that the Commanders defense will present him, Haener has been <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/derek-carr-offers-classy-gesture-saints-jake-haener-before-first-career-start" rel="noopener">leaning on the experience</a> of Derek Carr.</p><p>“Derek has been awesome this week,” Haener said earlier in the week, per Mike Kadlick of Sports Illustrated. “Super supportive. He’s been watching film with me every morning, just giving his two cents on what the Commanders do and how they present a challenge.”</p><p>Carr even went ahead and gifted Haener and his family 10 tickets to his box suite inside of the Caesars Superdome so they could watch the 25-year-old make his first career NFL start.</p><p>Coincidentally, Jake Haener, Derek Carr, and Carr’s older brother David Carr are the only three quarterbacks in Fresno State history to throw for over 4,000 yards in a single season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024 SEASON STATS
PASSING YDS	PASSING TDS	INTERCEPTIONS	POSITION RANK
3661.5	25.6	14.6	18

2024 SEASON STATS
PASSING YDS	PASSING TDS	INTERCEPTIONS	POSITION RANK
3661.5	25.6	14.6	18

Derek
Carr

2022 Projected vs Actual Pts

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