The New Orleans Saints saw their starting quarterback go down against the Green Bay Packers last week. So is Derek Carr playing? He failed to practice on Wednesday or Thursday but was a limited participant on Friday. Let’s look at the most recent Derek Carr injury updates as we assess whether he will be available in Week 4.
Derek Carr Injury Update: Is New Orleans’ Star Playing Sunday?
Derek Carr Injury Update
Update October 1 at 10:58 Eastern: The latest Derek Carr injury update does project the gunslinger to actually play.
Derek Carr went down with a nasty injury to his right shoulder last week. The Saints had to turn to their backup, Jameis Winston, after he went down. The Saints had a 17-point lead when Winston came in, but they coughed up 18 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and lost.
Check out our NFL player props for Week 4! ➚➚
It didn’t seem likely that Carr would be ready for Week 4 early in the week, but he managed to return to practice on Friday. Per the NFL Network’s Nick Underhill, Carr “wants to play” but is a true 50-50 call. The Saints will wait until Sunday to make a decision.
Is Derek Carr Playing for New Orleans in Week 4?
So is Derek Carr playing for New Orleans in Week 4? Last Sunday, I would’ve told you no, but the veteran quarterback has put in the work necessary for an early return. Still, the Saints are down starting right guard Cesar Ruiz, so if Carr plays, he won’t have his usual cast of pass-blockers protecting him.
The Saints are a solid 2-1, and they’re 3-point home favorites at DraftKings over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week. While the Saints shouldn’t risk the health of their $150 million quarterback, this is an important divisional game, especially with how good Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers have looked thus far.
The fact they’re trading as a 3-point favorite suggests the market has some faith in Carr’s availability. However, throwing-shoulder injuries can prove quite limiting for quarterbacks, so don’t expect a high-ceiling performance from the veteran quarterback if he does play.
OddsShopper’s NFL Tools & Tips
Looking for more 2023 NFL predictions? OddsShopper’s experts are here to break down this NFL season — make sure to check out the rest of our NFL articles, including our power rankings and division previews. Still need more picks? Subscribe to OddsShopper Premium for our market-based betting model’s picks and best bets — or try it out for Week 4 now!
