The Cincinnati Bengals may be 2-0 on the year, but it sure feels like their season is over. On Sunday, starting quarterback Joe Burrow exited the team's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a toe injury. One day later, it was revealed that Burrow is dealing with Grade 3 turf toe that requires surgery, and that he will be out for three months.
While Jake Browning filled in admirably, the Bengals are looking towards free agency to bring in some more quarterback depth. There was one option available, but it was already considered a long shot. Now, Bengals fans can officially rule this quarterback out as an option.
ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio wrote an article on Monday afternoon regarding why Derek Carr isn't a fit for the Bengals. That's because Carr is still dealing with a shoulder injury that forced him to retire from the NFL. That, and he's still under contract with the New Orleans Saints.
"While he didn't close the door on playing again during a recent visit with Dan Patrick, it’s clear that Carr is still dealing with the shoulder injury that prompted him to opt to retire in May," writes Florio. "Then there’s the fact that he remains under contract with the Saints; for Carr to be available, a trade would be necessary."
Derek Carr isn't a Joe Burrow replacement option for the Bengals
As much as Bengals fans may have been hoping for the team to bring in a big-name quarterback, it may not happen. In the case of Carr, he lets it be known that the former Saints and Raiders signal caller definitely isn't an option.
Throughout this past offseason, there was uncertainty regarding Carr for this season. It was determined that Carr's shoulder injury required surgery, which would have sidelined him for the entirety of the 2025 campaign. Instead of staying with the team, Carr decided to retire and forgo a $30 million guaranteed salary for the 2025 season.
Additionally, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that even if Carr underwent surgery, there was no guarantee that he would play at the same level as he did in the past.
So the Carr talk can be put to bed for good for the Bengals. Carr is in the midst of an analyst gig with YouTube TV for NFL broadcast, and has earned rave reviews thus far. As for the Bengals, they will stick with Browning to see what he can do.