Derek Carr Addresses Timetable For Injury Return; Jameis Winston's Role

Injured New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr said he'll return from a sprained AC joint once he's "physically" able to do so.

"I do anything and everything I can with my rehab, everything with the trainers, I'm going to do everything I can to be out there with my guys and if I can play, I'll play," Carr said via NFL.com. "If I physically just can't play, then I can't play. But if I'm out there, that means I'm, you know, there's no fear of re-injury, there's no fear of this, there's no fear of being able to help the football team. And so, I'm going to do everything I can to be out there but never hurt the team at the same time."

Carr, 32, who signed a four-year, $150 million deal -- which includes $100 million in guarantees -- this past offseason, exited in the third quarter of Sunday's 18-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers due to the shoulder injury. The quarterback was taken to a local hospital after undergoing X-rays at Lambeau Field.

Carr, who finished the game with 103 yards and one touchdown on 13 of 18 passing, was replaced by veteran former starter Jameis Winston, who re-signed with the Saints this past offseason after the team's investment in Carr as its starting quarterback.

"From what I got to watch; he did a great job," Carr said of Winston's Week 3 performance in his absence via NFL.com. "Jameis is a starter in this league. We have a couple guys that can start NFL football games in our room and Jameis is another one of those guys. Jameis came in -- in practice I take every rep -- and he did a great job of stepping in with no reps and playing good football. As he knows, in that role no matter where you're at, when you're called upon that's the expectation. I thought he did a great job for what he was asked to do, absolutely."

Winston, a former Heisman Trophy winner and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, threw for 101 yards on 10 of 16 passing in Sunday's loss. The veteran quarterback had previously gone 5-2 in his first seven starts following the retirement of Saints legend Drew Brees in 2021, but has since been limited to just three starts due to injuries.