The New Orleans Saints are yet to decide whether quarterback Derek Carr will return in 2025, but he’s made his worth known after confirming he’s unwilling to take a pay cut.

Carr signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints in 2023, but the franchise has a decision to make with two years remaining. The Saints will either stick with Carr or attempt to restructure his contract, or cut him and accept the dead money hit coming their way.

The Saints went 5-5 with Carr last season, but were 0-7 when turning to backups Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener while the starter was out injured. Carr believes that his performances speak for themselves and while he would consider a restructuring, a pay cut isn’t an option.

“I wouldn’t take a pay cut,” Carr said to ESPN. “Yeah, I wouldn’t do that. Especially with what I put on tape. Would I restructure? Absolutely. I’ll always help the team that way. But there’s some things that you put out there that you earned.

“Even in some cases it could be even worse, but I felt confident when I signed it that this would give the team the best flexibility at the time. . . . But there’s always a kind of respect as a quarterback you’re like, well still we’re in that respectful lane.

“‘We’re good. Build the team.’ But yeah, I wouldn’t take anything less to do this. It’s hard enough putting our bodies through it. And you’re trying to get everything you can for your family for it.”

Carr’s future remains up in the air as the Saints are yet to hire a permanent head coach, who will want to be involved in the final decision. If Carr is cut, then it’s likely to be early, firstly, so he can have adequate time to find a new team and also to avoid a post-June 1 dead money charge.

Carr believes he is worth the value of his contract.

Carr believes he is worth the value of his contract ( 

Image:

2023 Getty Images)

If not, it’s likely that Carr will restructure as his cap number for next season is $51.458 million. While it’s not yet known what 2025 holds for Carr, he said on Monday that he’s held positive talks with the organization.

“I got to take care of myself and then the rest after that is really out of my hands,” Carr said. “I’ve had great conversations with everyone in this building with [G.M.] Mickey [Loomis], with [owner] Ms. [Gayle] Benson, with everybody. And we all have mutual feelings and so my confidence level is very high and what can happen, what could happen.

“And we’ve shown what it could possibly be at times. The hard part is we had to deal with some stuff that we didn’t get to see that full picture all the time. So we’ll see.”