Inside: Who stood out at rookie minicamp, the future of Justin Fields and the surprising retirement of Derek Carr. Let’s start with the former Saints quarterback.
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Derek Carr hangs ’em up
Few quarterbacks have ever epitomized the line between good and bad quite like Carr.
In games he started, his teams went an uninspiring 77-92, including zero playoff wins. Still, the former second-round pick lasted as a starting NFL quarterback for 11 years, far longer than peers like Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel, the first two quarterbacks drafted in his 2014 class.
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Carr’s best season came in 2016, when he led the Raiders to a 12-3 record while throwing for 28 touchdowns against just six interceptions. He finished third in MVP voting that year and looked primed for a playoff run — until he suffered a broken leg in Week 16. Many thought he was never the same player after that.
Either way, his retirement announcement on Saturday brings closure to a lucrative career that netted him over $195 million in earnings, per OverTheCap. Only 15 players in NFL history have ever made more. Not bad.
First question about the retirement news: Why now? That shoulder injury we explained a month ago seems to be the reason why the 34-year-old is stepping away. The Saints shared more in their announcement:
“In late March, while ramping up his preparation for the 2025 season, Derek experienced pain in his right shoulder. It was his first time throwing a football at significant volume since recovering from both a concussion and left hand injury sustained during play on December 8, 2024. Derek immediately contacted the Saints Medical Team.”
Their medical team diagnosed him with an injury that could require six to nine months before he could even throw again, according to a medical professional I spoke with. After Carr consulted with team doctors, outside experts and his wife, he chose to retire instead.
What’s next for the Saints? Carr’s retirement means he forfeits $30 million base salary in 2025 while retaining his $10 million signing bonus.
It may be a blessing in disguise for the Saints, who — if Carr is designated as a post-June 1 retirement — will take a $14.4 million dead cap hit this year and $35.6 million hit in 2026, peanuts compared to Carr’s scheduled $89.6 million cap hits across the next two years.
New head coach Kellen Moore is surely hoping this eventually ushers in the Tyler Shough era. As of now, that 2025 second-round pick is expected to beat out Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for the starting role. The Athletic broke down how Shough, soon to be 26 years old, fits with the Saints.
Next, let’s talk about other rookies:
Camp Quotes
Each team holds a three-day rookie minicamp on the first or second weekend following the draft. It’s when recently drafted rookies, undrafted free agents and tryout players participate in drills and meet with local media.
It’s also when social media managers flood my feed with slo-mo highlights, beat reporters share early insights and coaches offer comment on pressing questions. Here’s what we’ve learned:
Jaxson Dart is impressing. The Giants’ first-round QB completed nearly every pass he attempted, but was focused on using a cadence, rather than clapping as he had in college. He’ll have plenty of time to learn, as beat reporter Charlotte Carroll still expects Russell Wilson to be the starter in 2025.
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Abdul Carter found his number. It wasn’t easy. Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor denied Carter’s request to wear No. 56, which might have been Carter’s attempt to create a franchise lineage with that number, similar to the No. 11 tradition he’d been part of at Penn State. Next, he tried to land New York’s No. 11, but former QB Phil Simms’ family rejected that idea, too. It appears Carter will roll with a little bit of each of those numbers: No. 51.
The hulking 6-foot-3, 252-pound outside linebacker will be hard to miss:
A rookie Texans receiver made history. WR Jayden Higgins became the only second-round pick in NFL history to agree to a fully guaranteed, four-year deal. It was unnecessary — the CBA removes most of Higgins’ leverage — but helps Houston get their first pick into camp immediately. A 6-4 Nico Collins clone, Higgins has a four-year, $11.7 million deal with negligible cap implications, and most players in his position get the majority of their contracts guaranteed anyways. Still, this could become a trend.
Caleb Williams is working. Chicago’s 23-year-old sophomore quarterback is “very eager to do work, he’s here after hours. He came in last Saturday and he’s in the indoor (facility), trying to walk through it by himself,” said Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who had plenty of praise for Williams’ rookie receiving options, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland.
Gabe Taylor got a tryout in Washington. Why might you be interested in a 5-foot-8 UDFA safety from Rice? Because he is the younger brother of Washington’s legendary, hard-hitting safety Sean Taylor. Gabe was six years old when Sean was shot and killed during a home invasion. “I had to take a moment, take a deep breath,” said Gabe during the emotional tryout with the franchise whose fan base still adores his brother. Gabe was one of 39 players hoping to stick with the Commanders.
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Meet Sean Payton’s new weapon. Denver’s 5-8, 208-pound rookie running back RJ Harvey turned heads at minicamp for his on-field play — juking out first-round CB Jahdae Barron — and off-field comments. “I want to make an immediate impact in this league,” he said. “I want to be like those guys. Darren Sproles, he went crazy with the Saints; (Alvin) Kamara, too. I want to be better than those guys.” 👀
As for the value guys
When I shared the six biggest steals among the top-50 prospects, many of you rightfully pointed out the numerous factors that weigh into this analysis. Cap implications, short-term opportunities and scheme fits are all involved.
To take things one step further, each of The Athletic’s beat reporters looked at which draft pick was the best value for their respective team:
Let’s talk about three players in that list.
Steelers RB Kaleb Johnson has high expectations. A strong scheme fit in Pittsburgh’s zone-heavy run game, the Iowa product is focused on improving his pass protection so that the Steelers will trust him as an every-down back.
After that, the sky is the limit. “Najee (Harris) had 1,000 yards all four years,” Johnson said. “I want to be next up. I want to come in, (and) I want to get more. … Win Super Bowls. Rookie of the year. All-Pro. I want to do all of that.” I enjoyed Mike DeFabo’s look into what makes this Steelers running back special, which explains why you shouldn’t be concerned about Johnson’s 4.57 40-yard dash time.
49ers RB Jordan James. The Athletic’s Vic Tafur’s report from camp is one reason I’ll save a late fantasy pick for the former Oregon Duck: “James might be a really good player. He showed off good hands at Friday’s camp, as well as a nice burst.”
Their fifth-round pick in 2025, James was a favorite of Frank Gore (yes, that Frank Gore, who works for the Niners’ scouting department) during the pre-draft process. He appears likely to maintain SF’s streak of finding talented later-round runners like Isaac Guerendo and Elijah Mitchell.
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Browns QB Shedeur Sanders. Are you proud I’ve made it this far without mentioning him? Cleveland’s crowded QB competition unofficially kicked off with the rookie minicamp, where coach Kevin Stefanski looked to maximize reps for Sanders and the earlier-drafted Dillon Gabriel.
“Gabriel was up first in the competitive drills, which made sense because Sanders went 50 picks later,” explained Zac Jackson, adding that Sanders stayed an extra 30 minutes after practice to get throws in with a tryout receiver. The pair were the last minicamp attendees to leave the field.
Will this work out for Cleveland? History says no. I’ve heard the Robert Griffin III-Kirk Cousins comparisons ad nauseam, a misleading anecdote about the success of teams who draft multiple quarterbacks. Despite being drafted 100 picks later, Cousins ultimately outplayed Griffin. Injuries contributed to that rare phenomenon, which is unlikely to be repeated in Cleveland.
In fact, teams that draft two quarterbacks often end up without one long-term starter. See for yourself (skipping the 2024 Patriots because it’s too soon):
2022 Steelers: Kenny Pickett & Chris Oladokun (0/2)
2012 Washington: Griffin & Cousins (1/2)
2012 Colts: Andrew Luck and Chandler Harnish (1/2)
2010 Panthers: Jimmy Clausen & Tony Pike (0/2)
2008 Packers: Brian Brohm & Matt Flynn (0/2)
2006 Jets: Kellen Clemens & Brad Smith (0/2)
2004 Broncos: Matt Mauck & Bradlee Van Pelt (0/2)
2003 Texans: Dave Ragone & Drew Henson (0/2)
2000 49ers: Giovanni Carmazzi & Tim Rattay (0/2)
Up next, another QB who was recently part of a QB crowd. Let’s check in.
Jets’ latest QB experiment
Geno Smith and Sam Darnold have proved that the best thing a quarterback can do for their long-term prospects is get far away from the New York Jets. Justin Fields chose to do the opposite, signing a two-year deal to become their latest quarterback.
Will Fields last a full season? He’s yet to start all 17 games in any year of his career, sports a 14-30 career record and made just six starts last year before being benched for Russell Wilson. I asked Zack if Fields is a lock to start all of 2025:
💬 Zack Rosenblatt: “It would be a fool’s errand to call any quarterback a lock to start an entire season for the Jets. But as of now — that’s the plan. Head coach Aaron Glenn, over and over again, has emphasized that Fields is their quarterback in 2025, that they believe in him. And they’ve shown that in their actions, adding players and building an offense around his skillset as a talented runner while also aiming to develop him as a passer.
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“If offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand can improve him as a passer, the Jets feel like they could have themselves a Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold-level reclamation project. The question will be how long of a leash he has with Tyrod Taylor here — but since the Jets are not expected to be contenders, I would expect his leash to be fairly long this season. A change is more likely to come in 2026 if anything.”
To be sure, they got Fields a new option in the passing game. Jets second-round pick, tight end Mason Taylor, has caught everything thrown his way so far, leading to praise from Glenn. Beat reporter Zack Rosenblatt’s Jets minicamp takeaways suggest to me that Taylor has 2023 Cole Kmet-like upside: With Fields as his primary quarterback, Kmet caught 73 passes for 719 yards and six touchdowns.
While comparing this year’s roster to the 2024 version, Zack found quarterback the most difficult to measure. Fields is an enigma. A first-round talent who has consistently struggled with passing — he completed 26.3 percent of tight-window passes, ranking 37th of 43 qualifying quarterbacks in 2024 — yet offers the combination of arm strength and mobility that coaches crave. He’s the opposite of Aaron Rodgers in many respects, which is probably a good thing for New York.
Last week’s most-clicked: Grades for the Cowboys and Steelers after the George Pickens trade.
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