Saints' Shough, Rattler, Haener to Compete for QB1 Spot After Derek Carr's Retirement

Derek Carr's retirement announcement on Saturday has opened up a three-man quarterback competition for the New Orleans Saints.

Head coach Kellen Moore told reporters that Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener will all rotate to get time with the first-team offense throughout the preseason and training camp.

"We’re going to let all three of these guys roll," Moore said.

This would suggest the Saints don't intend to explore any of the remaining free agents or a trade to add depth to their quarterback room.

Given the three options available, Shough would seem like the preferred winner. Rattler and Haener were products of the previous coaching staff before Moore was hired in February.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Saturday on SportsCenter that Saints officials are "really high" on Shough and "hope" he shows enough to win the starting job.

Shough was the Saints' second-round draft pick this year at No. 40 overall. He is a unique rookie given his age—he will turn 26 on Sept. 28—but there was a lot of buzz about his upside prior to the draft.

Moore told reporters on April 27 they considered it "a positive" that Shough endured a lot of difficult situations in college, largely caused by injuries, and that he continued to persevere.

Shough had his best season in 2024 at Louisville. He threw for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns and completed 62.7 percent of his attempts in 12 games.

B/R's NFL scouting department wasn't necessarily as high on Shough as some teams and analysts seemed to be. He was ranked as the No. 7 quarterback in the class, though it was acknowledged he "possesses the physical tools and upside as a pocket passer to work with and develop."

Rattler and Haener certainly didn't look like viable starting options when they were given a chance last season. The Saints went 0-6 in six games started by Rattler, who threw for 1,317 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions in seven total appearances.

Haener's lone start in Week 15 against the Washington Commanders was a disaster, to the point he got benched at halftime in favor of Rattler. The 26-year-old went 4-of-10 with 49 yards, no touchdowns and one interception prior to being replaced.

Moore and his staff have four months to evaluate each of their options. Shough is getting a close look right now with rookie minicamp taking place through Sunday.

The next key date on the calendar for the Saints will be May 20 when they begin organized team activities.