Why Saints’ Spencer Rattler got first QB1 shot over Tyler Shough

The New Orleans Saints’ quarterback competition officially began at the start of 2025 training camp, with Spencer Rattler taking the first-team reps on Day 1, followed by Tyler Shough and Jake Haener in the pecking order.

Saints Head Coach Kellen Moore confirmed the reasoning behind the decision that Rattler was given the initial QB1 opportunity due to his prior NFL experience, per Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.football.

“Saints coach Kellen Moore said Spencer Rattler went first in the QB rotation on Day 1 of training camp essentially because he’s been here a year longer than Tyler Shough,” Triplett wrote. “Said their numbers were basically identical in the analytics they keep throughout OTAs and minicamp.”

Rattler, selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, played in seven games last season with six starts. He completed 57% of his passes for 1,317 yards, with four touchdowns and five interceptions. While the numbers were modest, the in-game exposure gave Rattler the upper hand in Moore’s evaluation process.

During the first day of camp, Rattler seized his opportunity with both hands, completing a perfect 9-for-9 in passing drills, showcasing comfort, rhythm, and progression through reads. His reps included sharp completions to targets like Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, and Mason Tipton. Notable completions included a deep strike to Chris Olave and a sideline dart to Mason Tipton, both in tight windows.

In comparison, Tyler Shough, who took 15 reps with the second team, had a difficult outing. Under constant pressure behind a less experienced offensive line, Shough finished 2-for-6, or 4-for-8 including playthroughs after sacks. But despite being pressured often, he showed a glimpse of his deep-ball accuracy with a notable sideline throw to Donovan Peoples-Jones, placed where only the receiver could make a play. However, miscommunications, overthrows, and protection breakdowns limited his rhythm and consistency.

Meanwhile, Jake Haener also took the field with the third team for 10 reps and turned in a decent performance, completing 4-of-6 passes while showing good chemistry with tight end Michael Jacobson. Although he has some familiarity with the team and even made a brief start in 2023, Haener will need to deliver a strong preseason if he hopes to seriously enter the quarterback conversation.

The Saints are rotating QB1 reps daily, with Shough scheduled for first-team reps on Day 2 and possibly Haener on Day 3. This structured rotation allows each quarterback to establish rhythm and chemistry with the starting offense. The evaluation is expected to continue through training camp and into the August 10 preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, after which Moore may narrow the competition down to two finalists.