Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr announced his retirement over the weekend after dealing with a chronic shoulder injury. That leaves the Saints with three inexperienced quarterbacks on their roster. They'll enter training camp with rookie QB Tyler Shough, sophomore Spencer Rattler, and third-year signal-caller Jake Haener battling for the starting gig.
First-year Saints head coach Kellen Moore plans to hold an equal-opportunity competition at quarterback. After drafting Shough at No. 40 overall, the rookie should be considered the favorite to start in Week 1. The Saints must spend the 2025 campaign exploring whether or not Shough is a legitimate franchise quarterback.
The Saints showed terrific faith in Shough. They bypassed opportunities to select Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders. Shough was the quarterback prospect they identified, and they drafted him with a top-40 pick after landing former Texans offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. at No. 9 overall.
Shough should also be experienced enough to quickly make a smooth transition from college to the pros. The 25-year-old quarterback spent seven seasons in college at three different programs. Recurring injuries complicated Shough's journey, forcing him to be a well-traveled prospect. His ability to overcome adversity and acclimate to different offenses and environments should be an asset to him in this three-man quarterback competition.
Shough's age and experience make him more pro-ready than most rookie quarterbacks. After never appearing in more than 10 contests in any one individual campaign, Shough found his footing at Louisville in 2024. The Chandler, Arizona native made 12 starts, throwing for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Shough then traveled to the Senior Bowl and continued impressing NFL evaluators. He elevated his stock into the second-round conversation by showcasing his arm talent and processing skills. Shough's maturity thrived in that all-star setting.
There's value in the Saints exploring Shough's ceiling throughout 2025. They have a decent idea who Rattler and Haener are as quarterbacks, though training camp and the preseason will provide those young signal callers with opportunities to prove they've taken desired steps forward this offseason. Ironically enough, Rattler is one year younger than Shough, and Haener is approximately six months older.
Rattler saw extended action in seven contests as a rookie fifth-round pick in 2024. The Saints went 0-7 in those games. Rattler completed just 57% of his passing attempts, throwing more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four). Shough clearly possesses more upside.
Haener should be considered the distant No. 3 in the QB competition. The former Fresno State signal caller completed 46.2% of his passing attempts in limited action as a sophomore. Haener didn't appear in any regular-season games as a rookie in 2023. Both Shough and Rattler should enter training camp with a significant leg up.
After years of delaying the inevitable, Carr's retirement is forcing New Orleans to enter a rebuilding phase. It could pay long-term dividends, even if the Saints suffer initially. A way-too-early candidate to select a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Saints must first explore Shough's legitimacy by naming him the 2025 starter.
