Six veteran QBs the Saints could add after Carr’s retirement

By Ross Jackson

After the surprising news of the retirement of starting quarterback Derek Carr, the New Orleans Saints find themselves with one of the youngest quarterback rooms in the NFL.

Right now, the Saints have three passers, all of which are on rookie contracts: Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, second-year passer Spencer Rattler and third-year signal caller Jake Haener. The group has a combined three years of NFL experience, seven starts, 268 passing attempts and no wins. 

While Haener and Rattler have shown promise and Shough brings a lot of potential, New Orleans may be able to benefit from adding a veteran passer to the room as a mentor for their up-and-coming young starter.

Following the team’s rookie minicamp practice on Saturday, head coach Kellen Moore met with reporters and was asked about the possibility.

“We know this roster will move, certainly in the next couple weeks as you kind of finish the OTA phase of this thing,” Moore said. “And so, we have three quarterbacks right now. Certainly, in a lot of cases, you have four. Not always, but certainly we’re ready if the opportunity presents itself.”

It sounds like the Saints will be open to the chance to add experience to their room and there are plenty of options available.

Teddy Bridgewater (32)

This is one of the most logical possibilities, should Bridgewater want to continue his playing career. He had briefly retired following the 2023 NFL Season, but returned as a member of the Detroit Lions late in the 2024 season. He even took snaps in the Lions’ conference championship loss to the Washington Commanders.

Bridgewater has a successful and positive history and relationship with the New Orleans Saints, once going 5-0 in place of former quarterback Drew Brees who was sidelined with injury. He would be a major public relations win for the organization as well, as a beloved figure by the team’s fan base. 

Most importantly, he’s managed a lot of adversity throughout his playing career. That’s valuable experience when helping to further the development of young players at the position.

Carson Wentz (32)

The former Philadelphia Eagles first rounder is another player that has a lot of experience managing adversity. Much like Bridgwater, that’s a valuable asset. Wentz also has a similar play style to the three quarterbacks in New Orleans, a pocket passer with the athleticism to get tough yards in tight situations. He’s particularly close to the mold of a Shough.

C.J. Beathard (31)

With nine years of NFL experience, Beathard is one of those quarterbacks that surprises when reminded that he’s been in the league so long. He’s a pro style passer, but has the tools as a rollout and bootleg passer. A very solid, though underrated, option for Moore as a veteran tutor in the locker room.

Aaron Rodgers (41)

Rodgers is more likely to look for a chance to be a starter as opposed to a veteran mentor. This wouldn’t be the right situation for him, unless the Saints decide they wanted to turn to another aging leader at the position. It would be wise of the Saints to avoid this and instead invest in the quarterbacks that could be the franchise’s future.

If New Orleans is in a pinch at any time, and Rodgers hasn’t signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers by then, they could take this route as an emergency option. Rodgers said that he’d be willing to play somewhere for $10 million, which is well within the Saints’ price range at this point.

Ben DiNucci (28)

The Saints moved on from DiNucci earlier this offseason, but could always bring him back. He has previous experience with Moore, as both were members of the Dallas Cowboys. New Orleans could look to reunite with him now that there’s clarity in the Carr situation.

Tanner McKee (25)

Here’s a wildcard. The free agent market isn’t the only option. The Saints could look to the trade block as well. McKee and Moore teamed up for a win last year. He has three years of playing experience, stands at 6-foot-6 and 232 pounds, very similar to Shough, and has the familiarity and relationship with Moore.

In his two appearances with the Eagles late last year, McKee completed 30 of his 45 passing attempts for 323 passing yards and four touchdown strikes without throwing an interception.

The Eagles drafted Syracuse passer Kyle McCord in this 2025 NFL Draft, giving Philadelphia four passers in the locker room. Moore could tempt the Saints to go after McKee to get another young but experienced passer in the building. Another option would be to wait to see if McKee becomes available after roster cuts.