At this juncture, it appears Derek Carr will once again be the starting quarterback of the New Orleans Saints in 2025.
The Saints gave Carr a four-year, $150 million contract before the 2023 season, and though there was trade speculation at the start of the offseason, the Saints made the decision to keep him around and instead restructure his contract to free up $30 million in 2025 cap space.
Does that mean the 34-year-old will be the Saints' long-term plan at the position, however? Absolutely not. There's a very good chance 2025 will be Carr's last season as the starter in New Orleans, and the biggest question right now is how the team plans to replace him.
One NFL writer sees a high-profile replacement falling into the Saints' lap in the upcoming draft.
On Wednesday, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports predicted that the Saints would draft Colorado's Shedeur Sanders with the ninth pick, giving them a potential franchise quarterback and solidifying their eventaual exit strategy from the Carr contract.
"Surprise! The Saints go with Sanders, as new head coach Kellen Moore sees a lot of Jared Goff in the game of the Colorado quarterback," Trapasso wrote.
The 23-year-old son of NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, Shedeur made his mark at Colorado over the past two seasons by passing for 7,364 yards, with 64 touchdowns to 13 interceptions.
He's not known for remarkable athleticism or arm talent, but he's an accurate passer with good pocket instincts, and he's one of only two quarterbacks in this year's draft with a consensus first-round grade.
Even if the Saints aren't enamored with Sanders right now, the thought of having a potential future franchise quarterback on a rookie contract has to be enticing after years of salary cap woes. It's hard to see Sanders escaping New Orleans if he's somehow still available when they get on the clock.
