Dennis Allen: Derek Carr is getting closer, Week 9 most likely to return

Including Saints head coach Dennis Allen pretty much everyone Fewer than Bobby Hebert when it comes to the team's possible starting quarterbacks for Week Eight against the Chargers following Thursday night's loss to the Broncos, but there's little doubt about who his first choice would be.

Derek Carr was the team's starting quarterback before an oblique injury sidelined him in Week 5, but when Allen spoke to reporters on Friday, he didn't make it sound like he was likely to return to the Chargers game. Allen said Carr's return depends on “his ability to rotate his upper body to be able to throw the football,” and Carr isn't quite there yet.

“I think we’re getting closer. I think he will be ready for the Charger game? I'm not sure. I think that’s questionable,” Allen said, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. “I think it's certainly very likely next week. But I think we just have to go through the process and see how he does over the next three or four days and that will probably give us a much clearer picture in terms of his availability for this weekend.”

Spencer Rattler started the last two games, but Jake Haener replaced Carr in week five and he threw a touchdown after replacing an ineffective Rattler on Thursday night. Allen also mentioned Taysom Hill as a possibility, but he's dealing with injury issues himself, so there's still a lot to figure out before we get clarity on New Orleans' quarterback plan.