And he knows that Carl will likely be an important person in the future, since he’s “the son of Rick Grimes” and all.
That on-the-nose moment made me rethink Rick’s own claim to Carl that “This is the end of it,” as far as what “it” he was referring to.
But he wasn’t even present for the clearest moment when Carl had his future pointed out for him, which happened when Michonne very clearly told him, “This is your show.”
Rick, who had to listen to that one Savior recalling his crying and begging while also saying Carl was going to die, knows that Carl is wise beyond his years about how the post-apocalypse works.