Derek Carr gives up $30 million to retire

After months of awkward chop, the Saints and quarterback Derek Carr managed to figure out a smooth landing.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Carr’s retirement comes with an agreement regarding his contract.

In a nutshell, he’ll give up $30 million in fully-guaranteed pay. That was his base salary for 2025, which the Saints opted to convert to a mostly-prorated payment in March.

Carr will keep a $10 million roster bonus he earned in March. Also, the Saints will not seek recovery of the remaining allocation of his $28.5 million signing bonus, which he received in 2023.

Carr could have undergone shoulder surgery, not played this year, pocketed the $30 million, and made a decision about his future at some point down the road.

This path allows him to delay shoulder surgery — perhaps indefinitely — and to avoid the process of recovery and rehab.

Even without the $30 million he had been guaranteed to make this year, the $10 million roster bonus pushes him above $200 million in career earnings.