Saints GM says Derek Carr has shoulder issue, but won't answer questions about his availability for 2025
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury, but team general manager Mickey Loomis had no interest discussing the issue. Loomis confirmed Carr was battling an injury Wednesday, but refused to answer any more questions about the situation.
With the NFL Draft approaching, reports emerged suggesting Carr could miss the entire 2025 NFL season due to a shoulder injury. Loomis was asked about that situation Wednesday. He confirmed Carr is dealing with a shoulder issue, but he said the team was hoping to have more information soon.
Mickey Loomis acknowledges that Derek Carr has a shoulder injury and they hope to have clarity on the situation soon.
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) April 23, 2025
When he was pressed on Carr's status, Loomis bluntly told reporters he wasn't going to talk about Carr anymore.
Loomis: "I'm not going to answer any more questions about Derek. If you have questions about the draft I'm happy to answer those."
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) April 23, 2025
The Saints are considered a prime landing spot to select one of the top quarterbacks in this draft. While Cam Ward is expected to be off the board when the team picks at No. 9, Shedeur Sanders — who is considered the second-best quarterback prospect in the draft — could still be available.
The Saints have been linked to Sanders in the lead-up to the draft, and could pull the trigger on the Colorado quarterback at No. 9 if he's there. But the Saints won't make that move out of desperation. Loomis said Carr's injury will not affect how the team approaches the draft.
That doesn't mean a ton. The Saints were a rumored landing spot for Sanders long before Carr's injury was first reported. That injury puts pressure on the Saints to find another quarterback in 2025, but the team may have already been leaning that way in the first place.
If New Orleans passes on Sanders at No. 9, things could get interesting. The team could hold out and hope one of the other top quarterbacks is available when it picks again at No. 40. It could also consider hopping into the Kirk Cousins trade discussions — if the division-rival Atlanta Falcons will allow it — or contacting Aaron Rodgers.
Those last two options aren't the most inspiring, but that's what happens when your quarterback sustains a potentially serious injury in April. Neither player would provide the same excitement as a rookie quarterback, but would give the Saints a one-year option while the team evaluates the quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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New York Times
34 minutes ago
- New York Times
How do Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid compare all-time?: Penguins mailbag
Good morning, everyone, and thank you for the wonderful array of questions, as always. Hopefully you're enjoying the Stanley Cup Final and the U.S. Open, if you've got tickets. We'll start in that direction before moving to more Penguins-centric questions. Part 2 of this mailbag is coming soon. Away we go. Do you think it's silly to root against McDavid to win a cup to keep him a peg below Sid? —@beancantfly No, not really. I get it. If you're from Pittsburgh and/or a Penguins fan, you aren't just rooting for championships. You've had the privilege of watching some of the greatest players of all time, from Mario Lemieux to Jaromir Jagr to Sidney Crosby to Evgeni Malkin. It's completely natural to get territorial and to want your guy to be considered the best. And if you're a Sid fan and are very prideful in him being the best player of this century, then I imagine you feel a bit threatened by Connor McDavid. Deep down, you know McDavid's overall talent probably exceeds Sid's. But then again, Lemieux was twice as talented as Gretzky, and most hockey experts like to say Gretzky is the greatest player of all time. I was so, so happy when the Canadiens beat the Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final. I just didn't want Gretzky to get another one. Mind you, I was 13, but still, it's fair. Advertisement While McDavid might be more talented than Sid, the fact is, Sid's accomplishments in terms of winning utterly dwarf McDavid's. I believe the five greatest players who ever lived are Lemieux, Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Crosby and McDavid. I can't imagine anyone else cracking that top five, with all due respect to Gordie Howe, Jagr, Alex Ovechkin, Rocket Richard or whomever else you want to put on this list. You can make an argument for anyone in that top five. There's no right or wrong answer. It's yet to be seen, but if McDavid wins the Cup this year, does he jump over Sid as an all-time great, or does it take more? How many Cups do you think McDavid wins before he retires? — @skiab94 Well, we're talking about public opinion now. Many people these days like to say, 'McDavid is the greatest player of all time!' And hey, maybe he is. He's remarkable. But I also think we fall into the trap of always wanting the person we're currently watching to be the greatest. There's no real joy in taking your son or daughter to a game and saying, 'Look at that, the eighth-greatest player who ever lived!' We tend to forget how great Crosby was in his prime. His prime was cut terribly short because of concussions. But I suspect that McDavid will exceed him in the opinion of many if indeed he does win the Cup. What was your favorite Stanley Cup Final series that did not involve the Penguins? — @cgibson724 Other than this one? Because this one has been insanely entertaining. I'd probably say the 2015 series between Chicago and Boston. That was great stuff with a stunning ending. 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The Penguins could certainly receive plenty in return for him, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's a lifer. They really love him. As for Rakell, he could go at some point. Interestingly, there wasn't the level of interest in him before the deadline that you would have expected. I struggle with the segment of Pens fans who are dying to just make the playoffs. We rightly criticize the Steelers for their perpetual 10-7/9-8 records while never winning playoff games. Why not strive for a return to a Cup contender like KD wants? The Penguins should always shoot for cups — @nathan_lewy Everyone has their opinion on this topic. Personally, I agree with Dubas' line of thinking. He's shooting big. He doesn't just want to be a wild-card team. I get it, and I like it. That's what I would do if I were the GM. That said, nothing is much worse than a spring without playoff hockey. Do you think that, with the new coaching staff, the Pens give Tristan Jarry and Ryan Graves 'one last chance' to get back to the level of play that won them those contracts? — @TheAndoman I don't think they have any choice. No one is going to trade for them, and the Penguins don't want to buy them out. Advertisement It will be very interesting to see how Graves plays with a new set of eyes on him. Expectations will be disturbingly low, mind you, but it can't hurt to have some new coaches working with him. For the last three seasons, the Pens have lost so many games while leading. I'm certain this was very frustrating to players and coaches. Do you believe Dubas thought Sully's methods had anything to do with this? This team had enough talent to get leads just couldn't hold them…. — @cooljerdoc I have no doubt that the Penguins' defense has been troubling to Dubas since he took over two years ago. But I don't think he ever blamed Sullivan for it. I truly believe he thinks Sullivan is a great coach. What do you think is the best path forward for the Penguins on goalie? Sit tight and hope someone develops? Ride out Jarry's contract then trade for a 1G? Draft more? — @Lemieux67 Sergei Murashov is the future. At least, that's what the Penguins are hoping for. He's probably one year away from being NHL-ready. Playing Jarry heavily this season probably makes sense. As putrid as he was for most of the last season, he actually was the Penguins' best goalie and, to his credit, was good in the season's final month. I think you play Jarry until Murashov is ready, and you hope Murashov is the guy. If he's not, worry about it at that point. A good goalie is often the last thing a hockey team needs. It's like a closer in baseball. You don't really need a great one until you're ready to win. The Penguins just aren't there yet. Is Doc Emrick as awesome in real life as he was on the call? — @LetangCult Oh yeah. One of the kindest people I've ever met. In May 2020, I showed him a Pirates face mask that my girlfriend's aunt had made. She was selling them, and he asked me if he could have one. Naturally, I mailed him one and told him not to worry about the money. Advertisement A week later, I received $30 in cash in an envelope and a handwritten note on a PNC Park letterhead. Doesn't get any better than that. He's the epitome of class. How do you go about acquiring reliable sources as a sports journalist who specifically covers a team? — @BigSaveEh There's no direct answer to this one. Sometimes, when people start to learn who you are, they come to you with information. Sometimes, people want you to write nice things about them — assistant coaches who want to be head coaches are always great for this — so they'll give you information so that, in turn, you might write nice things about them. The ol' 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine' approach. (I absolutely hate this. It makes me feel dirty.) In other cases, you just treat people well and get to know them over the years, and they'll help you out. The best thing you can do is treat people with respect. Don't quote them when it's off the record. Use common sense. Check with them before you write something. Do that, and you'll be fine. Wings: Bone-in or boneless and what flavor? — @KMarker14 Bone-in, and with conviction. Are they really wings if they aren't bone-in? And I like flats better than drumsticks. I'm so boring and tame with sauces. The Big Sexy sauce (Mark Madden's trademark) at Big Shot Bob's is sensational. I like any kind of garlic parmesan as well. Or honey mustard. Anything but Cajun-y sauces. Not my thing. Thanks for all the great questions. Another mailbag is on deck. (Photo of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Magic Johnson On The Knicks: ‘All The Excuses Are Gone Now'
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 24: Magic Johnson on stage during the TSP Live 2022 conference at The ... More Hotel at Avalon on June 24, 2022 in Alpharetta, Georgia. (Photo by) Now that the Knicks players have signed off on firing Tom Thibodeau, Magic Johnson says 'there's a lot of pressure on the players next season" and 'all the excuses are gone now.' 'There's a lot of pressure on the players next season because if you fire the coach and this is what you wanted, now you gotta step up,' Johnson said Thursday on ESPN's 'Get Up.' 'I've been in this situation back in the Lakers and I wanted the coach gone and Paul Westhead, and it all fell on me if I wanted him gone. Now I gotta step up, and we gotta win the championship. That same year that we fired Westhead, we went on and won the championship, right? So all the excuses are gone. Now next season, [Jalen] INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 27: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks huddles with his team ... More during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The Knicks are still seeking a coach to replace Thibodeau, who led the franchise to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. They have reportedly been rebuked after asking for permission to speak with five sitting NBA head coaches – Jason Kidd (Dallas), Ime Udoka (Houston), Chris Finch (Minnesota), Billy Donovan (Chicago) and Quin Snyder (Atlanta). Current and former college coaches Jay Wright, Rick Pitino, John Calipari and Dan Hurley have also said they don't want the job. On 'Get Up,' ESPN's Brian Windhorst called what the Knicks are doing in going after sitting coaches a 'strange strategy.' 'They seem to be prioritizing people who are not available,' Windhorst said. 'It doesn't make sense to poach coaches that are on teams that have just had highly successful seasons and are in the middle of long-term contracts. 'So I think that they have failed in their strategy here of how they have approached this decision.' His colleague Mike Greenberg said 'it looks embarrassing.' Charles Barkley also had thoughts. 'The Knicks gotta be the stupidest damn people in the world,' he said on NBA TV during Game 3 of the NBA Finals. 'Like you don't fire no good coach like that [Tom Thibodeau] and don't have a plan. I mean, Thibs did a helluva job. Obviously something's going on there, but you don't have a plan? 'And now the three coaches turn you down, you gotta have a plan, man. And they don't have a plan. I don't know what the hell they're gonna do.' Asked his thoughts, Johnson said: 'Well, first of all, when you lead a team to the Eastern Conference Finals, and you haven't been there in what 25 years, I thought they should say to [Thibodeau], 'Listen, we're going to give you one more year, right and and see if you can improve the team, if you can take us to the finals. 'But okay, they didn't say that. Now, to Charles Barkley's point, you have to have a plan. If you're going to fire the man, you have to have at least somebody in mind that you can get right to come and fill his position…but it seemed like they didn't have a plan in place.' Johnson and ESPN's Jay Williams suggested several possible coaches for the job, including former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone, current Boston Celtics assistant Sam Cassell and Heat assistant Chris Quinn. 'Since they can't get the coaches that they wanted, they should just take their time and then decide on the roster,' Johnson said, adding: 'I don't think they're going to get Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. I think Giannis stays in Milwaukee.' DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 12: Head coach Michael Malone of the Denver Nuggets speaks with media after ... More a 94-89 victory against the Miami Heat in Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals to win the NBA Championship at Ball Arena on June 12, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Johnson was also asked about the Knicks roster and the potential of trading for Kevin Durant, who has been linked to the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and the Knicks by ESPN's Shams Charania. 'Kevin Durant, that's an interesting piece,' Johnson said. "If I'm the Knicks, the Knicks are too slow. They're not going to beat Indiana next year or these other teams. They got to get a little faster, right? And to me, Kevin Durant will allow them to get faster and be a guy that can help Brunson in the fourth quarter. You're relying on Brunson so much. One guy can't get you there. You gotta give him some help. PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 28: Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the second half of ... More game four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Footprint Center on April 28, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Timberwolves defeated the Suns 122-116 and win the series 4-0. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) "Durant will be a guy who will give you some help on the offensive end, plus he's able to put the teams that they play against in foul trouble. I like Kevin Durant playing with the Knicks. I really do, a champion. He can teach the other guys how to win the championship, that would be important. 'But the main thing here is everybody's gotta step up and be better next season.' Johnson also said the Knicks lost some "swagger" when they traded away Donte DiVincenzo in the KAT deal with Minnesota. 'The swagger left the Knicks when he got traded, and they don't have that swagger again. See, they got nice guys, but they don't have tough, mean guys, and that's what Donte brought to the table. The Pacers beat them up, and they were faster than them, right? So, so now they gotta change a little bit that bench. And I love what Donte brought from the bench when he came on the floor, and New York Knicks fans loved him because he was tough, he was mean, but also he could score. He could get you 15 to 25 points when he came off that bench ended and they missed that, that contribution that he brought to the team.'
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
A curious major-league fib, plus: Alcantara starting to round into form
The Windup Newsletter ⚾ | This is The Athletic's MLB newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Windup directly in your inbox. New developments in the Tyler Skaggs case bring a former teammate's name into the proceedings. Plus: The curious case of the missing career, a Q&A with our player poll editor, and Ken says Sandy Alcantara is getting closer to being, well, Sandy Alcantara. I'm Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal. Welcome to The Windup! When Tyler Skaggs died in 2019, it shook the entire league. Every new detail in the nearly six years since has made the story a little more tragic, a little more shocking. Former Angels PR director Eric Kay is serving a 22-year prison sentence for his role in providing Skaggs with the opioids that led to his overdose. Advertisement Now there's a civil lawsuit between Skaggs' family and the Angels organization, in which the family insists the team holds some responsibility in the matter. Today, new information has come to light, further muddying the waters, and bringing another known name into the conversation: current Reds pitcher Wade Miley. From that story, by Sam Blum: 'On May 30, the Angels filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing that the Skaggs's claims should be dismissed. It contained a deposition from the former agent for Skaggs, in which he testified Skaggs had told him he sometimes received prescription drugs from pitcher Wade Miley. Skaggs and Miley were teammates on the Arizona Diamondbacks at the time.' It's a complicated case, made more so by the fact that 'hundreds of pages of testimony, including portions of confidential depositions from key witnesses, were also posted publicly to the court's online portal last week, apparently in error.' Blum's piece has a lot more details. It's messy, it's sad and this much is sure: There's no happy ending to this story. From my most recent column, with Eno Sarris: The temptation is not to get carried away with Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara producing back-to-back quality starts for the first time this season. His opponents were the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates, the teams with the two worst offenses in the major leagues. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough, however, saw a difference in what he called 'the quality of Sandy's throws.' So did a rival official who witnessed Alcantara's start in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. The official, granted anonymity for his candor, said, 'I walked away saying he is about three or four starts away from being the Sandy of old.' If Alcantara continues pitching on five days' rest, as he has for the majority of the season coming off Tommy John surgery, he would make eight starts before the trade deadline on July 31. By that time, a reemergence as the Sandy of old could make him what many at the start of the season expected him to become — the best starting pitcher available. 'For him, the walk rate (early in the season) was so uncharacteristic. The ability to execute at a high level, which he was terrific at pre-injury, was not the same,' McCullough said. 'So while the stuff was very good — the velo was good, the shapes of his pitches were fine — his spray was just a lot larger, especially to left. I think it was just the finish to the throws. Advertisement 'A couple of bullpens ago, he really focused on being glove-side with his work and being intentional there. Which I think in turn has got him driving the ball through the mitt and finishing his pitches.' Examining the shapes and velocities of Alcantara's pitches, his stuff has indeed mostly recovered since his surgery in October 2023. His changeup doesn't have quite as much drop, and neither does his curve, but his fastballs are mostly back, and overall his stuff is there. Stuff+ is a stat that sums up the physical qualities of his pitches, and most of his pitches are back to pre-surgery quality. More here. It's been a big week for 25-year-old Red Sox rookie pitcher Hunter Dobbins. Here's the timeline: June 8: Dobbins tells Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Globe, 'If the Yankees were the last team to give me a contract, I'd retire.' But in that same story, he also says: 'Andy Pettitte and my dad were really good friends. … He was actually drafted twice by the Yankees. Signed with them his last year and then he got traded over to the Diamondbacks.' That night, Dobbins picked up the win over the Yankees. Score one for the kid. June 10 (Tuesday): Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes this article, in which he says, more or less, 'Nuh-uh.' He contacted members of the Yankees and D-Backs front offices from those days and found nothing on Lance Dobbins. There was also this: 'Pettitte, reached by phone, said neither he nor anyone he asked in his family remembers Lance Dobbins.' Baseball Reference shows (the elder) Dobbins playing for three teams in 1996-97, but all of three were independent teams. The Diamondbacks did have minor-league teams in those years, ahead of the big-league team's inaugural season (1998). But I checked all of those rosters; Dobbins isn't on any of them. Yesterday (the younger) Dobbins was given a chance to address the situation. His answer? 'I don't go and fact-check my dad.' Advertisement In summary: This was the story he had been told; why would anyone think their dad wasn't telling them the truth? But — with the caveat that there might be some explanation yet to come to light — it sure doesn't seem like Lance Dobbins was drafted by the Yankees, nor that he played in the Diamondbacks org. Stay tuned, I guess? In the meantime, Dobbins' next start is scheduled for Saturday. Against whom? The Yankees, of course. Yesterday's Windup was all about our five anonymous player poll stories. Today, we have a Q&A with editor Kaci Borowski, who handles all the heavy lifting of making these things shine. What has been the biggest challenge in making these successful? One is that baseball players are, unlike their basketball counterparts, generally less inclined to speak on more controversial topics, so you really have to think about what types of questions they'd be likely to answer and shape those in a way that would get a good response. The second is that it takes a lot of coordination to make this work. We have a large staff of national and local writers, and keeping the information organized takes some planning. There's just so much data. Truly mind-numbing amounts of data. Do you have a favorite question we've ever asked? Least-favorite? In 2019, we asked pitchers who they would least like to see charging the mound and vice versa for the hitters. The answers we got were really amusing and surprisingly honest. My least favorite questions are, unfortunately, often the ones our readers ask for the most. We've tried to do the 'most overrated player' question a few times and the players don't really take to that one — we end up with a small sample size and a lot of names without a lot of justification. It can be a little awkward, and it doesn't always provide an enlightening outcome. What's the question you can't ask, but wish you could? I can't just be giving out free story ideas on main here, Levi. But out of respect and appreciation for the kind players who take the time and answer our poll honestly, I will give a response and go with one I think they'd never answer anyway: Which of your fellow baseball players pisses you off the most? They'd need to give specifics, though. I'd need quotes for sure. How have you seen these evolve over the years we've been doing them? One thing we've made a priority in these more recent polls is making sure we're talking to a wide range of voters with different backgrounds, years of league experience and primary languages so we can (attempt to!) better reflect the attitudes and perspectives of those who currently make up the sport. It's not a perfect exercise, but I think we've made some good strides. Britt Ghiroli has an insightful one today: What do baseball families do to juggle school while parenting on a baseball schedule? One day after the Giants placed third baseman Matt Chapman on the IL, catcher Patrick Bailey joined him. That hasn't stopped San Francisco from consecutive late-innings comebacks. The Red Sox and Twins pulled off a trade, with Boston acquiring reliever Jorge Alcala for a minor-leaguer. Tigers starter Jackson Jobe is having Tommy John surgery. The epidemic continues. Hot birds vs. hot birds: The blue ones emerged victorious, sweeping the red ones. Keith Law's Mock Draft 2.0 is here, with a new No. 1 pick. There had been some suspicion that Jesús Luzardo was tipping his pitches. He made some adjustments, and held the Cubs to one run, striking out 10 in six innings yesterday. Speaking of which … On the pods: On 'Rates & Barrels,' Eno, Jed and DVR discussed what info hitters might want from external sources when preparing for opposing pitchers. Prefer video? Here you go! Most-clicked in our last newsletter: The first Player Poll story, where we learned which teams and managers players do and don't like to play for. *against the Rockies, though. 📫 Love The Windup? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters.
