And one that could have avoided?
When the 2025 NFL Draft process began, the class was always considered weaker because of the QB prospects. Current Tennessee Titans rookie Cam Ward was far and away the top QB prospect in the class, but besides him, no other QBs were deserving of going in the first round. That does not mean the prospects are bad; it just means the class was overall weaker, mainly when focusing on the QBs. Regarding the New Orleans Saints, many people considered that position because of Derek Carr’s recent play and massive cap space. This was even before Carr retired, but after, it felt closer to a guarantee that the Saints were going to select a QB somewhere in the draft. That was always a risky path for New Orleans, mainly because they were not in the race for Ward. It was arguably a better decision for the Saints to go with Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and potentially a late-round QB or available veteran in free agency. Instead, as we know, the Saints were enamored by Louisville QB Tyler Shough, leading to the team selecting him in the second round.
Before continuing, let me preface that I like Tyler Shough as a prospect and believe he could do well in the league. I do not care about the age issue (him being 26 near the beginning of the season), and most importantly, I am not worried about his slow start in camp. Rookie mistakes are rookie mistakes for just that reason, and getting over those mistakes/issues is what matters more. The main thing needed from Shough during training camp is development and growth. Yes, it would be nice if there was immediate success, but that was never the primary expectation. Saying this, Spencer Rattler’s strong performance in camp brings up a conversation about selecting Shough in the second round.
The Saints and Kellen Moore have consistently stated this offseason that they have no plan of “rebuilding”, and the idea of tanking is not going to happen. If a team is trying to stay away from selecting near the top of the draft again, finding a starting quarterback is the first thing to do. With Carr retiring, the Saints were without one, and due to Kellen Moore not being the coach to select Rattler, his belief in the second-year QB may not have been as strong. Combining these factors with the Saints’ feelings about Shough created the perfect storm to go in that direction in the draft, but that still may not have been the best choice.
Spencer Rattler was put in a horrible position last season, with a coaching staff that was on their way out the door. Even in the darkest times, Rattler was able to show flashes of immense talent. This year, throughout mini-camp and now training camp, Rattler has looked consistent, made some impressive throws, taken calculated risks, built chemistry with nearly all the receivers, and has improved on areas that he struggled with in his rookie year. He is doing everything that a QB should do to win a competition to become the starter. It is very early to call this battle, and things can change in an instant during the preseason, but there is no sign that they should. Last year, Rattler played well in the preseason, which was the main reason people were adamant about him starting over Carr. Yes, Shough could make massive improvements from now until the end of camp, but that might be too late to catch up to Rattler. If this is the case, and Rattler proves himself to be a quality starting QB in this league next season, the Shough pick could look questionable. Instead of going with the Louisville QB, there were excellent prospects available that would have helped strengthen this team.
Again, the Saints may not have had enough belief in Rattler at that time to become the starter, but it may have been the better long-term path to go with the second-year quarterback, especially if he wins this competition battle and becomes their next franchise QB.