The New Orleans Saints began organized team activity workouts on May 20 by unofficially kicking off a competition for their 2025 Week 1 starting quarterback job that will feature rookie Tyler Shough, 2024 fifth-round draft pick Spencer Rattler and 2023 fourth-rounder Jake Haener.
ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak shared why he is “doubtful” that either Rattler or Haener has much of a chance to replace Derek Carr as New Orleans’ QB1 as long as Shough remains healthy and looks relatively competent this summer.
“The tea leaves read to me thusly,” Solak explained about New Orleans’ quarterback situation. “The Saints were happy to spend another year with Carr at the helm, but then they got the bad news about his throwing shoulder, suspected his retirement and prioritized an early quarterback selection with Shough at (pick) No. 40. This coaching staff was not around when Rattler was drafted, and if it had real interest in him as a developmental starter, it wouldn’t have taken Shough as highly as it did.”
Moore was serving as the offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles when the previous Saints regime drafted Rattler in the spring of 2024. Rattler later lost all six games he started as a rookie, and he completed just 57 percent of his pass attempts for 1,317 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions.
Meanwhile, Haener always seemed likely to become somewhat of a forgotten figure among New Orleans signal-callers even before a strained oblique sidelined him through the rest of springtime workouts. He made just one regular-season start over his first two pro campaigns, and he failed to complete 50 percent of his passes with New Orleans during the 2024 season.
As for Carr, outsiders may never know when people within the Saints first truly began planning to move on from the 34-year-old before he shockingly confirmed his retirement in May. Moore and Co. seemed to say plenty about Carr’s future with the organization when New Orleans drafted Shough, arguably the most pro-ready quarterback in this year’s class.
As of Tuesday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook listed Shough as a -310 betting favorite to start New Orleans’ Week 1 game versus the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 7. Rattler was at +210 odds, while Haener was a +4000 underdog to win what may be a competition in name only.
