The latest commitment from the New Orleans Saints on quarterback Tyler Shough could spell trouble for Spencer Rattler. Last offseason, the Saints entered with a lot of uncertainty about who would eventually be able to fill the shoes of Derek Carr after he announced his retirement. Shough and Rattler battled it out for the starting job, but the Saints feel comfortable with Shough moving forward, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see a trade involving Rattler in March. Originally selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the former South Carolina product backed up Carr in 2024 and stepped up in some moments when the veteran went down with an injury.
Saints Tyler Shough Commitment Could Mean a Blockbuster Spencer Rattler Trade
Although he couldn’t bring the Saints to a postseason appearance in 2024, he set the record for most passing yards as a rookie in Saints history. Following the battle between Rattler, Shough, and Jake Haener, Rattler was named the temporary starter for the group until he led the team to a 1-7 record, which led to his benching. This allowed Shough to take over and prove that he could become the permanent starter for the offense.
Unfortunately for Rattler, Shough succeeded all of the expectations in New Orleans, even though they missed the postseason for a second consecutive year. After winning four straight matchups as the Saints starter, Shough won the starting job for now. The question is if Shough can stay consistent for a full season, but that won’t stop the team from considering a trade involving Rattler to these three teams if the opportunity presents itself.
Next Possible Teams
Carolina Panthers
Nobody should be convinced that Bryce Young may be the long-term starter for the Carolina Panthers. The team snuck itself into the playoffs after dropping its divisional game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As veteran Andy Dalton is too old, the Panthers are better off getting another quarterback to help Young. Carolina benched Young at one point, and head coach Dave Canales may reconsider next season if inconsistency issues happen again.
Rattler won’t become the starter immediately for this offense, but it gives him a chance to start fresh elsewhere and join a team that has an evolving defense and an offense that could turn into something special if the team plays its cards right.
Arizona Cardinals
The most logical destination for Rattler out of these three destinations is the Arizona Cardinals. Rattler would get to play for his hometown team as a potential starter, even though the Cardinals plan to take a quarterback in this year’s draft. Kyler Murray is expected to be cut, and Jacoby Brissett is too old for him to be relied on to wake this offense up.
Arizona could draft and bring in Rattler to settle the dust in the desert for some competition, as this offense is well-rounded enough.
Los Angeles Rams
Meanwhile, if veteran Matthew Stafford decides to retire after this year’s playoffs, the Rams could Rattler. The offense in LA and having a head coach like Sean McVay make it easier for the Rams to execute their plan without Stafford. Rattler isn’t the most efficient, but under the mind of a coach like McVay, he could break out with pass-catchers like Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.