The Saints have one of the biggest roster battles in the NFL...
The New Orleans Saints' biggest question mark right now is who is going to be the team's starting quarterback in Week 1.
The quarterback competition is under way between Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener. Haener has dealt with an injury which has opened the door for Shough and Rattler. But, who will end up winning the job?
Pro Football Focus' Thomas Valentine predicted that Shough will land the job over Rattler.
"Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener were the remaining quarterbacks on the roster, and rather than take a quarterback with the No. 9 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, instead drafting Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., the Saints picked Louisville’s Tyler Shough at No. 40," Valentine said. "The answer to who will start the season as the Saints’ starting quarterback isn’t simple. Traits-wise, Rattler is probably the top quarterback on the roster, but he earned a 52.0 PFF overall grade in seven games in 2024, the lowest mark among all quarterbacks, and was sacked 22 times.
"A new coaching staff, led by Kellen Moore, will probably look to hang its hat on a quarterback of its own, and right now, that looks to be Shough. The front office spent a second-round pick on Shough, who earned an 87.4 PFF overall grade in 2024, completing 62.1% of his passes for 3,191 yards and 23 passing touchdowns for the Cardinals. The overall direction of the Saints is unclear, though they’ll likely have one of the poorer records in the NFL in 2025. Still, Shough will likely enter the season as the starter. Whether he’s the QB1 by Thanksgiving is an entirely different question. Prediction: Tyler Shough."
Shough and Rattler seem like the most likely options right now barring the addition of a veteran. Both have gotten positve reviews this offseason so it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out. Rattler is just 24 years old and has experience with the team already, but Shough was taken in the second round for a reason.
