The Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback situation is a fluid one as Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will battle for the starting job during training camp. The battle has already generated national headlines after comments made by McCarthy and Murray during last month’s minicamp, but there could still be a wild card lurking in Derek Carr.
After being connected to Carr last spring, the former New Orleans Saints quarterback didn’t sign with the Vikings or any other team during free agency. While he sounded like he was happy in retirement during an interview with NFL Network’s Jamie Erdahl, he also made a point to say he was still training and could be ready if “a special team” came calling.
“You know, I’ll never say never,” Carr said on Friday’s episode of Good Morning Football. “It would take a special situation. You know, there were multiple teams that reached out to me this offseason, and I won’t say who or how, but they reached out and were just gauging my interest on what I wanted to do and all those things and they were solid football teams. But a couple of them in some different situations.
“I think I’m just at the point where I just want to win, man. I want to win and I want to do those things. And so, if I were to do it, it would have to be a special team that maybe lost somebody or needed somebody. But even then, it’s not guaranteed. I’m having too much fun hanging out with my wife, hanging out with my kids and trying to get good at golf. So it would take a special deal, but I’m always training. …So I’ll be in shape and ready, but probably not.”
The Minnesota Vikings should steer clear of quarterback Derek Carr despite the latest comments
Carr did not specifically mention the Vikings during Friday’s interview, but there was a real drumbeat that the 35-year-old could come out of retirement to compete with McCarthy last spring. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported on Super Bowl Sunday that Carr was a potential option for the Vikings to add, and the flames were fanned higher when Carr spoke on his “Home Grown with David & Derek Carr” podcast. Carr mentioned it would take a special team to return to the NFL after retiring before the 2025 season.
That comment prompted his brother, David, to ask if he had any “purple and gold” in his closet, perhaps hinting at the Vikings’ interest. But a deal never materialized in Minnesota or anywhere else, even though Carr insists he’s staying ready for a potential comeback.
Carr joining the Vikings at the last minute seems far-fetched, but it may be possible. The Vikings have shown a willingness to make changes to their quarterback room at the 11th hour, trading Sam Howell and signing Carson Wentz as McCarthy’s backup ahead of the 53-man roster deadline last August.
If McCarthy or Murray struggles during camp or one of them asks to be traded, there’s a very small chance the Vikings could look outside the organization as a last gasp to add depth to the room. Then again, Carr might not be the quarterback they should be looking for.
Carr hasn’t played in the NFL since December 2024, and while he’s accurate with a 65.1 percent completion rate, he has an ultra-conservative playing style that had him throw for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions during the 2024 season. While Kevin O’Connell probably likes the ball security, Carr also has averaged over 8.0 air yards per attempt in just three of his 11 seasons in the NFL, making him a poor fit for the offense.
There’s also the matter that Carr is technically still under contract with the Saints. This would require a trade to bring him to Minnesota, and ESPN’s Katherine Terrell speculated in March that it could take a third-to-fifth-round pick to make that happen.
The Vikings’ quarterback situation has been a wild ride over the past two years, and adding Carr at the last minute would add to the turmoil. But unless a wave of injuries sweeps the quarterback room, the Vikings are still wise to sit this one out and let Carr wait for a phone call from someone else.
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