After three preseason games, the Saints have finally announced that Spencer Rattler will start at quarterback in Week 1. The two young passers were fighting for the QB1 position ever since injuries forced veteran Derek Carr into an early retirement.
BREAKING: Saints Name Spencer Rattler Starting Quarterback
Tyler Shough originally joined the New Orleans Saints as one of the more surprising picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Widely projected to be a third- or fourth-round pick, New Orleans selected him early in the second round. Carr announced his retirement shortly thereafter, making the pick seem more logical for Kellen Moore’s squad.
Despite being a rookie, Tyler Shough is already 25 years old and will turn 26 before the end of September. The Louisville product battled injuries throughout his collegiate career but finished on a high note, playing in a career-high 12 games while completing 62.7% of his passes for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Spencer Rattler spent his rookie season as Derek Carr’s primary backup quarterback but started a few games for the Saints. Starting in place of the injured Carr, Rattler showed signs of life during his inaugural campaign but struggled with consistency. He ultimately went 0-6 in his six starts, completing just 57% of his passes for 1,317 yards, four touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 52.0 PFF grade, the worst mark out of 42 eligible quarterbacks.
Nobody should expect the Saints new quarterback to guide this team to a deep postseason run. New Orleans spent the past few seasons putting off an inevitable rebuild, and the bill has finally come due. While the team probably won’t win too many games in 2025, hopefully, they can spend the year finding out what they have in their young passer and if Kellen Moore has what it takes to be an NFL head coach.
Main Photo: Stephen Lew – Imagn Images
