Report: Saints' Carr undecided on shoulder surgery

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is still undecided on whether he'll undergo surgery on his injured throwing shoulder, but he's expected to make a decision soon, a source told NFL Network's Jane Slater.

Carr has met with the Saints' team doctor in recent weeks and is exploring his options, but he hopes to avoid surgery, Slater adds.

The 34-year-old passer could reportedly miss the entire 2025 campaign due to a shoulder injury he suffered last season. There was confusion about the nature and cause of Carr's injury due to its timing as it was first reported in April, four months after his last game action.

Carr reportedly believes he suffered the injury in Week 14 last season against the New York Giants, the same contest in which he injured his left wrist. Carr missed the rest of the campaign after exiting that game early.

However, he didn't notice the shoulder injury until he started throwing again this spring in his ramp-up for offseason work, Slater reports.

Carr recently criticized those questioning the legitimacy and timing of his injury, saying he has the "MRI report to prove it" and that he's been in constant communication with New Orleans about the situation.

The Saints drafted quarterback Tyler Shough in the second round of last month's NFL draft after Carr's injury became public. New Orleans also has Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener on its QB depth chart.

The team restructured Carr's contract in March for salary-cap reasons, converting a significant portion of his 2025 salary into a signing bonus. That made it unlikely the Saints would move on from him this offseason for financial reasons.

The veteran quarterback is set to have a $69-million salary-cap hit in 2026 after New Orleans reworked his deal, according to Over the Cap.