The New York Jets are sensationally predicted to pull veteran quarterback Derek Carr out of his short-lived retirement in an ‘extraordinary’ NFL move.
The 34-year-old shocked the league by walking away from the New Orleans Saints last year, but insiders now believe a comeback is at the top of the agenda.
According to NBC Sports analyst Matthew Berry, conversations at the NFL Scouting Combine have centered on the Saints facilitating a return specifically to trade him.
Berry revealed that the ‘most interesting’ rumor currently circulating in Indianapolis involves the retired signal-caller making a shock return to the gridiron.
‘Yes, the retired 34-year-old Derek Carr,’ Berry wrote in his latest detailed notebook, confirming that the Saints expect him to suit up for the 2026 season.
The analyst noted that the Saints are ‘very happy’ with young starter Tyler Shough, meaning any return for Carr would lead directly to a high-profile trade.
The New York Jets are considering pulling veteran quarterback Derek Carr out of retirement
The 34-year-old shocked the league by walking away from the New Orleans Saints last year
‘From what I heard, the Saints think Carr will un-retire and they will be able to trade him to the Jets,’ Berry stated as he linked the veteran to the ‘Big Apple’.
Carr sat out the entirety of that 2025 campaign, but his last active year in 2024 proved he still has the arm talent to lead a high-functioning NFL offense.
Despite missing seven games in 2024 due to an oblique strain and a concussion, Carr threw for 2,145 yards and 15 touchdowns with a career-high 101.0 rating.
The move would address a desperate need for the Jets, who endured a nightmare 2025 season that saw the team finish with a dismal 3-14 record.
New York’s offense was historically stagnant last year, ranking dead last in the NFL for passing yards per game with an average of just 140.3.
The franchise’s Justin Fields experiment failed to launch, with the former first-round pick benched in Week 11 after a string of inconsistent performances.
Fields managed just 1,242 passing yards across 11 starts, leading to veteran Tyrod Taylor and rookie Brady Cook both seeing time under center during the collapse.
The Jets’ inability to find stability at the position resulted in a league-worst turnover margin and an offense that failed to score more than 20 points in 10 games.
