Saints formally rule out Carr, will start Haener

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders.

Carr, who was previously considered doubtful to play, has a left hand injury and was placed in concussion protocol in the week leading up to the game.

This is the fourth game Carr will miss this season after sitting out three games with an oblique injury. Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler started those three games in place of Carr, but the Saints have elected to start second-year quarterback Jake Haener against Washington.

Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi said Carr was “doing really well” with his progression through concussion protocol and had only one step left to clear. The team was still determining on Friday whether Carr could potentially be active and back up Haener against the Commanders or be inactive and listed as the emergency third quarterback.

“We’re not ruling Derek out for this game at the moment. We’ll kind of see how his hand is progressing, and it is improving,” Rizzi said Friday. “We can either make him the backup quarterback, have him active for the game or make him the emergency third … If he’s functional and able to do that, that’s a possibility.”

The Saints also activated defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon off injured reserve. Kpassagnon has been out the entire fall after tearing an Achilles in the spring, and this marks his first game back this season.