New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr exited his team's Monday night's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs early and he's unlikely to return anytime soon.
Carr is expected to miss multiple weeks due to an oblique injury he suffered is the defeat, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported on Tuesday.
When Carr left for the locker room against the Chiefs, he was replaced by Jake Haener, but rookie Spencer Rattler is a strong candidate to start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6, Garafolo and Rapoport reported.
Tougher than shoe leather, Carr hasn't missed a game due to injury since 2017, having played with a shoulder injury throughout much of 2023. Garafolo reported that Carr will likely push to play, but the Saints medical staff will take the decision away from him due to the severity of the oblique injury.
Carr, who was injured late in the Saints' loss, will likely miss at least the next two games -- against the Buccaneers on Sunday and Denver Broncos in Week 7 -- which will take place over the next nine days.
Through five games, Carr has completed 90 passes in 128 attempts (70.3%) for 989 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. He was phenomenal over the Saints' 2-0 start, but has struggled some during the team's current three-game skid. Over New Orleans' first two games, the Saints scored a combined 91 points, but over their last three have tallied just 49.
Whether it's Haener or Rattler who will look to infuse some life into the struggling Saints for now remains to be seen.
If it is Rattler, the rookie fifth-rounder would become the latest first-season signal-caller to get a starting nod in 2024, but the first not taken in the opening round.
The New England Patriots are expected to give Drake Maye his first start on Sunday, while the Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams, the Washington Commanders' Jayden Daniels and the Denver Broncos' Bo Nix are already firmly entrenched as their club's QB1s.
For now, the Saints are reeling and have lost their durable starting QB for multiple weeks. With a three-game skid and Rattler or Haener set to make his first start Sunday, New Orleans has reached a pivotal point in its season.
