Does Derek Carr’s retirement from the New Orleans Saints change who wins the NFC South in 2025?

It’s very hard, at least this early, to predict which teams will be good and which teams will be bad because anything is possible in the NFL.

After the current events that have happened in recent days, things have gotten marginally clearer in the NFC South.

Carr’s retirement fundamentally changes things.

New Orleans SaintsThe Saints, who were already a very bad team last year, going 5-12, will be even worse this year as they look to almost tank the 2025 season for a high draft pick.

The good part is they don’t have to put Carr through the suffering of another terrible season while looking to replace him in the upcoming draft, with the hopes of the second coming of Archie Manning, Arch Manning, from Texas at the top of their early draft board.

Rostering one of the oldest rosters in the league and still owing Carr almost $50 million over the next two years, and he’s not even playing, the Saints are a long way away from contending for the NFC South crown.

Carolina PanthersThe Panthers have made moves in the right direction to become a good NFL team. Bryce Young looked better this year with Dave Canales. They saved themselves almost $8 million in cap space by releasing Jadeveon Clowney.

Their entire draft was good, from Tetairoa McMillan to Nic Scourton, all the way down to Jimmy Horn Jr.

It’s hard not to like what the Panthers have done. They’re truly one year away.

If they can go out this year and win the close games and split with the Buccaneers and the Falcons, they can go immediately from here to number one next year to win the division.

Atlanta FalconsWhile being one of Jeremy Greene’s most improved teams after the draft, this has just been an organization that has never been able to get out of its own way.

Michael Penix Jr. may not be the answer like he was at Washington.  They hit harder than in college, and as soon as Penix Jr gets hurt again, it’s going to send that entire team into disarray.

Thank goodness Raheem Morris attacked the draft well because their free agency haul was underwhelming at best. Drafting Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr, and Xavier Watts fixes some huge holes defensively.

If Penix Jr stays healthy and the game slows down for him like it did at Washington, that and if Morris utilizes the talent he has acquired, they can win this division. 

Tampa Bay BuccaneersThe Buccaneers can win the NFC South solely at the hands of Baker Mayfield. Good thing he has been winning since he came to Tampa, which is much better than what the Cleveland Browns are doing right now.

A lot of analysts are not happy with the Bucs’ draft choices this year, but what they did do well was retain their key pieces.

The way Tampa attacked this year’s NFL draft was by preparing for injuries.

Losing both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin last year completely dismantled this team, which people forget was one of the Philadelphia Eagles’ regular season losses during their amazing Super Bowl run.

If the players like Brandon Morrison, Emeka Egbuka, and Tez Johnson perform well, this team is easily a 12-5, and that’s splitting games with both Carolina and Atlanta.