They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that might be the exact situation we're looking at with the rumors of quarterback Derek Carr contemplating unretiring and returning to the NFL in 2026.
Carr shocked everyone with his decision to retire during the 2025 offseason, sending the Saints into a last-minute pre-draft preparation frenzy, which ultimately worked out great for them. The Saints ended up with Tyler Shough, who looks like he will be the team's starter for the foreseeable future, and Carr now has some options if he wants to come back and play again.
Carr will be 35 years old this coming season, so he's obviously just going to be a short-term option for any situation he enters, but there would likely still be plenty of teams lined up to give him a shot.
3 ideal landing spots for Derek Carr if he returns to football for 2026
1. New York Jets
The New York Jets might not be mad about Derek Carr trying to return to the NFL this season one bit. The Jets have the 2nd overall pick in this year's draft, as well as the 16th overall pick from the New York Jets (Sauce Gardner trade). Despite that fact, they clearly don't have any viable options at the quarterback position in this year's draft class.
The focus for finding a long-term solution at quarterback, at least for the Jets, should be in 2027. That doesn't mean they want to have another brutal year in 2026.
Derek Carr has plenty of ties with the Jets right now, including BIll Musgrave, who is currently the Jets' quarterbacks coach and was Carr's offensive coordinator 10 years ago with the Raiders. If Carr wants the right situation in terms of the coaching staff, then this might be it.
2. Minnesota Vikings
It seems like there could be some legitimate steam building behind the idea of Derek Carr going to the Minnesota VIkings. Unlike the New York Jets, the Vikings might actually offer a chance for Carr to come in and win a championship in short order.
Just two seasons ago, with Sam Darnold at the helm, the Vikings won 14 games and were one of the best teams in the NFL. After letting Sam Darnold go, the Vikings watched with disappointment as Darnold led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl, while they missed the playoffs entirely.
The Vikings fired GM Kwesk Adofo-Mensah, and after seeing the way he played last year, there's no way JJ McCarthy has the full backing of the organization for the long-term future. Derek Carr could come in and take McCarthy's job, possibly elevating the Vikings back to a championship contender.
3. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are in the business of calling quarterbacks out of retirement these days, so why stop at Philip Rivers?
In all seriousness, the Colts seem to check a lot of boxes here. They have the need at the position with Daniel Jones coming off of an injury and also set to hit free agency. They have a shot at being one of the best teams in the AFC, which they were until the injury issues for Jones became a thing last season. They have elite weapons to surround Carr with.
And maybe most important to him, they have the coaching situation he desires. Shane Steichen has long been a QB whisperer and does a great job setting up his quarterbacks for success.