Saints QB Derek Carr could miss rest of season with hand fracture
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr fractured his non-throwing hand and is expected to miss several weeks, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero.
Carr was injured in the fourth quarter of the Saints’ 14-11 win over the New York Giants on Sunday. After he dived forward for a first down, he collided with a teammate and then tried to brace his fall with his left hand.
New Orleans has only four games left on its schedule, which means Carr is in danger of missing the rest of the season.
Saints head coach Darren Rizzi pushed back against the report at his Monday news conference, however.
“I’ve already seen some reports out there, a little bit false,” Rizzi said. “As it stands at this moment, I don’t believe it’s going to be an [injured reserve] situation.”
He added later: “It appears at the moment that it’s nonsurgical. If it was surgical, we’d be having a different conversation, which is why this is going to remain day-to-day.”
Rizzi also said Carr is in the concussion protocol.
Sunday’s game was the second this year that Carr had to leave early because injury. He hurt an oblique muscle during a Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, causing him to miss the next three games.
In 10 games this season, Carr has thrown for 2,145 yards, with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. His 101.0 passer rating is his best since the 2020 season, when he played for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Though backup Jake Haener replaced Carr in both games he exited early, rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler started the three games he missed. In those three games, Rattler threw for 571 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
With the win against the Giants, the Saints improved to 5-8. New Orleans is 5-5 when Carr starts this season and 0-3 with Rattler.
Rizzi became interim head coach on Nov. 4, and since then the Saints are 3-1. New Orleans fired Dennis Allen after Week 9 following a seven-game losing streak.
Carr, a 2014 second-round pick by the Raiders, is in his second season with the Saints. New Orleans signed Carr to a four-year, $150 million contract with $100 million guaranteed in March 2023.
