Could the Colts Lure This Veteran QB Out of Retirement?

Quarterback issues have been rampant for the Indianapolis Colts ever since Andrew Luck retired. Indy has tried veteran band-aids and young replacements, but nothing has materialized into a division title.

The Colts' best success came from Daniel Jones in 2025, a year full of promise before injuries stole any bit of hope. In the first nine quarters of the season, the Colts had zero punts and were scoring on nearly every drive.

Jones looked comfortable, but a torn Achilles tendon ended his campaign short and put his 2026 season into question. Because he suffered the injury so late (early December), Jones' rehab timeline will be tight if the veteran wants to be ready by Week 1.

Due to his injury, CBS Sports writer John Breech named the Colts as a potential landing spot for former Oakland Raiders and New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who is currently retired.

"[A torn Achilles] is one of the most brutal injuries in sports and there's no guarantee he's going to be ready for Week 1 in 2026," Breech wrote. "As a matter of fact, if you look at the recovery timeline for quarterbacks, it would be a borderline miracle if [Daniel] Jones were to play in Week 1. Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins both tore their Achilles in 2023 and they ended up playing in Week 1 of the following season, but both of those injuries happened early in the season.

Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) drops back to pass against the New York Giants during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

"If the Colts decide to re-sign Jones, Carr could sign a one-year deal and be the QB until Jones is ready to play. If Carr has proven one thing in his career, it's that he can be successful when he has some great offensive talent around him and the Colts have that," Breech explained.

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If Carr comes out of retirement, he will still be under contract with the Saints. The 34-year-old suffered a labral tear and serious damage to his rotator cuff, but on a podcast with his brother David, Derek made it clear that he is healthy.

"Would I do it?" Carr said. "Absolutely, I would. I told you two things: I have to be healthy, and I'd want a chance to win a Super Bowl. And obviously, that's a tough thing to find. That's hard to do. That's not easy."

If New Orleans doesn't cut Carr, the Colts would have to offer a cheap trade package. Given how well Tyler Shough played at the end of 2025, the Saints may feel they don't need Carr or his salary on their books.

If Jones isn't healthy, Carr could be a decent fill-in option. The issue is that the Colts wouldn't be able to pay Carr's current contract if they re-sign Jones. Carr would need to take a serious pay cut, and even then, he wouldn't be the starter for the entire season.

From what it sounds like, Carr just wants a Super Bowl win. One would imagine that he'd like to be the starter in that Super Bowl, not the backup.

Of course, this is all assuming that the Colts are "Super Bowl contenders". In the NFL, any team can make a run, just as the Seattle Seahawks did this year. The Colts are a complete long shot to win, but if they can play as they did at the start of 2025, they'll have a serious chance.

Improvements are needed, but I'm not sure Carr is. The Colts already have decent backups in Anthony Richardson Sr. and Riley Leonard, and I'm not entirely convinced Carr could win more games as a fill-in than either of them.

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