By Ross Jackson
**Update(Monday, Dec. 9 — 1:48 p.m.): Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi met with reporters Monday and said Derek Carr is week-to-week and could play Sunday against the Commanders even if he doesn’t practice this week.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr suffered a left hand injury during the team’s win over the New York Giants on Sunday. He was also evaluated for a concussion. The major concern after not being able to finish the game after a diving effort for a first down was that Carr may have fractured his non-throwing hand.
After further testing and imaging on Monday, that fear became a reality. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Saints quarterback will likely miss the rest of the season with a fracture in his left hand. The situation will cause him to miss several games. With only four left to go, that makes the injury likely season-ending.
#Saints QB Derek Carr did, in fact, suffer a significant fracture in his non-throwing hand, per me and @TomPelissero.
He’s expected to miss several weeks. Based on where we are in the season, this is almost certainly season-ending. https://t.co/4XJb9F0u2x
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 9, 2024
New Orleans will not place Carr on Injured Reserve in order to keep a return possible, though not likely.
Carr also missed three games earlier in the season with an oblique injury that he suffered in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
After being a bit of an iron man throughout his career, Carr has been plagued with injuries since arriving in New Orleans. The Saints themselves have had more than their fair share of injuries and ailments over recent seasons as a whole. This is just the latest.
Carr would become the fourth major offensive contributor to see his season end prematurely due to an injury.
Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed had his season come to an end earlier in the year after undergoing knee surgery. Tight end Taysom Hill was placed on Injured Reserve on Saturday due to an ACL injury that was compounded with additional knee damage. It is also likely that wide receiver Chris Olave will not see the field again this season after suffering two confirmed concussions.
If his season is over, Carr will finish his second year as the Saints’ quarterback with 2,145 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns and just five interceptions thrown. He also completed 67.7% of his passes. The Saints were 5-5 in his 10 games played in 2024. They are 14-13 over his tenure thus far.
With an unlikely return to the field, this will likely spark questions about his future in New Orleans. However, thanks to the team’s salary cap situation, Carr will likely see another year with the team.
For now, the Saints will have to choose between their young passers again. Second-year quarterback Jake Haener has been Carr’s gameday backup all season long. But New Orleans turned to rookie passer Spencer Rattler Weeks 6-8 while Carr was previously out. It makes sense to give Rattler another shot, considering the conditions of his first opportunity. But getting a look at Haener would not be a bad move by the Saints at all.
