It’s too early to say whether or not the New Orleans Saints have their quarterback of the future, but rookie quarterback Tyler Shough is reportedly playing well in OTAs. Selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Louisville product became the odds-on favorite to start in Week 1 following Derek Carr’s surprise retirement. While he has yet to officially take the job from 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler, he seems to be doing everything right in practice.
According to Luke Johnson of NOLA.com, Shough can “absolutely spin it. Given about 15 plays in a seven-on-seven period, Shough made several attention-grabbing throws that showed off a varied skillset as a thrower.”
REPORT: Tyler Shough Impressing At Saints OTAs, Likely to Start Week 1
Nobody should react too much to offseason practices, as there’s no way to properly replicate the live NFL action. However, the Saints must be happy with the reported progress of Tyler Shough. The rookie came out the draft with serious questions, most of which revolved around his age. He will be 26 by Week 1, making him far older than every other rookie in the league.
Despite his age and injury history, he has the raw skill to succeed in the NFL. Shough has arguably the best arm in the class, and that seems to be translating to practice. If nothing else, he can make throws that a relatively unremarkable talent like Spencer Rattler simply cannot.
If Tyler Shough continues to impress, perhaps the Saints will roll with their current depth chart into the regular season. If he starts to struggle, don’t be surprised if the Saints target Kirk Cousins. While they won’t trade for his bloated contract, the Falcons could release him and spread his dead cap over two seasons. Cousins is not a long-term fix at the position, but a quarterback-needy team like the Saints could pursue his services if they’re not sure about Tyler Shough.
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