Although they don't enjoy the salary cap wiggle room nor the high draft status of several other teams embarking upon a massive rebuild, the Miami Dolphins have a wildly flexible offseason ahead.
New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley have a dealer's choice of countless "choose your own adventure" routes to go to overhaul Miami's roster. Much of that stems from the Tua Tagovailoa contract quandary, along with huge decisions on whether or not to keep other core veterans.
As far as the Tua of it all goes, if the Dolphins do move on as expected, there's one cost-effective bridge quarterback option that has suddenly arisen out of left field.
4-time Pro Bowl QB Derek Carr would consider coming out of retirement for the right situation
NFL Media insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo reported on Super Bowl Sunday that retired QB Derek Carr is interested in an NFL comeback if he can find the right fit:
"As quarterback injuries mounted this season and into the playoffs, teams conducted due diligence on Carr, trying to gather information as to whether the former Saints franchise passer would consider coming out of retirement, sources tell The Insiders. [...] He surely knows the interest is there and sources have said the right situation and coaching staff could lure Carr back onto the field."
The report did state that Carr is content and enjoying family time as a retiree. A throwing shoulder injury is what ultimately ended his career, as he didn't want to undergo surgery and a lengthy rehab to try to come back and play prior to the 2025 season.
But Carr is reportedly throwing without limitations nowadays.
I mean, dadgummit, if Philip Rivers can hit the field and function for the Indianapolis Colts at 44 years young, why couldn't the 34-year-old Carr jump back into the mix?
How landing Derek Carr would change the math on Dolphins' offseason
Miami would need to trade for Carr since the New Orleans Saints still hold his rights. If anyone can afford to give up a Day 3 pick, perhaps an earlier one than most other prospective suitors, it's the Dolphins.
Sullivan has to be geeking out over having not one, not two, but three third-round picks to work with in the 2026 NFL Draft. He and Hafley hail from Green Bay, where drafting, developing, and signing in-house talent is the standard operating procedure when it comes to roster construction.
Thanks to that surplus of day two picks, Sullivan could be freed up to part with, say, the 149th pick in the fifth round in exchange for Carr. If they were to trade down from one of those third-round selections, they could easily get a fifth-rounder in that exchange.
It's not a super-desperate move. It's a case where Carr could be had on a cost-effective contract — presumably cheaper than ex-Packers QB and top free agent Malik Willis. Trading for Carr may only require a seventh-round pick anyway. It's not like New Orleans has any leverage. Carr will never play another down in NOLA now that Tyler Shough looks like the long-term answer at the position.
When he last played during the 2024 campaign, before injuries to himself and much of the Saints' team derailed their season, Carr was balling out through two games during a 2-0 start under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Kubiak is the play-caller for the Seattle Seahawks' explosive, Super Bowl LX-favored offense.
Kubiak is taking over as the Raiders' next head coach. A reunion with Carr, the longtime Silver and Black QB, would make a lot of sense....only Las Vegas has the No. 1 overall pick. Indiana national champion and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza is all but a lock to be the Raiders' pick at that spot.
Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has a similar West Coast, Kyle Shanahan-style offense to what Kubiak runs. That'd be a natural fit for Carr if he deemed the Dolphins a good fit.
The big question is what Carr is looking for. Miami has a need and a potential system fit for him. Premier weapons in De'Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle. A solid offensive line anchored by center Aaron Brewer and left tackle Patrick Paul.
If Carr aspires to realistically compete for the playoffs, he might want to look elsewhere. If simply being a starter again is the primary goal, the Dolphins make a lot of sense.
By sacrificing a minimal amount of its extensive draft capital and not much money amid a difficult cap situation, Miami could score a viable bridge starter in Carr while figuring out the longer-term goal of who'll be the next true franchise quarterback.
Fun facts to finish: Derek Carr actually completed 67.7% of his passes, averaged 7.7 yards per attempt, and threw for 15 TDs to just five interceptions for a 101.0 passer rating in his last 10 games as a pro. Not bad!