The New Orleans Saints have been struggling in the absence of star quarterback Derek Carr and running back Alvin Kamara, and it turns out that is unlikely to change. According to ESPN NFL Insider, "Saints ruled out RB Alvin Kamara and QB Derek Carr for Sunday's game vs. the Raiders."
Saints ruled out RB Alvin Kamara and QB Derek Carr for Sunday’s game vs. the Raiders.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 27, 2024More News: Saints Rookie QB Spencer Rattler Calls Blowout Packers Loss "Embarrassing"
Carr has not practiced since sustaining a concussion and a fracture to his left (non-throwing) hand in Week 14 against the Giants.
While he reportedly cleared concussion protocol last week and expressed a desire to finish the season, it's increasingly likely he'll miss the remainder of 2024, including Week 18.
Spencer Rattler, the rookie quarterback, is slated to start this Sunday against the Raiders in Carr's absence. That will likely make Saints fans nervous, considering Rattler's recent performance against the Green Bay Packers; the 34-0 loss ended up being the only shutout of 2024 (so far) and even the QB himself called it "embarrassing."
Despite the severity of the hand injury, the New Orleans Saints chose not to place Carr on injured reserve, leaving open the possibility of his return at some point.
Carr has had a strong performance for the Saints in 2024 in between injuries, completing nearly 68% of his passes for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only five interceptions.
However, after already missing three games earlier this season due to an oblique injury, the question now is whether it's wise for Carr to return, especially considering the risks of further injury.
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Kamara, for his part, was listed as a non-participant in Wednesday's practice estimation. He sustained the groin injury during the Week 15 loss to the Washington Commanders and missed the following blowout game against the Green Bay Packers.
Kamara, who is just 50 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard rushing season, had a career-high 950 rushing yards to go along with 543 receiving yards before the injury.
Despite his absence, interim head coach Darren Rizzi previously noted Kamara is eager to return and does not want to be shut down for the rest of the season, though a decision on his status is still pending. It seems that both Carr and Kamara are trying to get back on the field, but time is running short for both players in the 2024 season.
The Raiders snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, but it came against another struggling team. Despite the victory, the win didn't have much impact on playoff hopes, as the Raiders had already been eliminated from contention.
However, the win did drop Las Vegas in the 2025 NFL Draft order, much to the frustration of Raider Nation. A victory over the Saints this week could further diminish their chances of securing a top pick in next year's draft, which adds an intriguing wrinkle to New Orleans missing two key players.
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