The prevailing story surrounding the New Orleans Saints in recent weeks has been rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. The 40th overall pick in this year’s draft has now started a pair of games for the black and gold, including a win over the Carolina Panthers, heading into the team’s bye week.
Shough’s emergence as the starter hasn’t taken many by surprise; the notion entering the season was that it would be a matter of when, not if, he got his chance. But what does it mean for his teammate Spencer Rattler?
A fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Rattler started the first eight games of the season for New Orleans, going 1-7 in that time. He posted a passer rating of 86.8, throwing 192.3 yards per game and tossing 8 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
While he didn’t blow anyone’s expectations out of the water, his season has included some strong performances, going 25-of-34 for 3 touchdowns in a narrow loss to the 49ers and leading the team to its first win against the Giants while throwing just one interception through the first 6 games. However, a string of poor games against Chicago and Tampa Bay led Kellen Moore to make the switch.
Rattler’s rookie deal has him contracted through 2027. Depending on Shough’s play throughout the rest of the season, he may enter next year as QB2 in the Big Easy.
Might his sophomore showings attract interest from other teams around the league? Does Moore value him as a member of the quarterback room going forward? It feels as though most scenarios are on the table right now. Rattler has certainly done enough to prove himself capable at the NFL level. But how high his ceiling might reach remains in question.
What are you expecting to see out of Rattler going forward? What’s your stance on the state of the quarterback position as a whole? We want to hear, so let us know in the comments!
