New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Tyler Shough (6), Spencer Rattler (2), Hunter Dekkers (18) and Jake Haener (3) take turns throwing the ball during minicamp practice at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center in Metairie, La., Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Kellen Moore looks primarily at two areas when evaluating [his quarterbacks](https://www.nola.com/tncms/asset/editorial/12e2356d-d6d5-4850-824a-1f5a4d107195/) this time of year. The New Orleans Saints coach wants to see their command and control. The command begins in the huddle, with the signal caller relaying the play call. The control then takes place at the line of scrimmage, with how the quarterback reads the defense and dictates the outcome.
Everything else is still a work in progress.
“The execution, just the consistency, is going to the big aspect as we continue to grow this thing,” Moore said. “But you feel really good where all these guys are at.”
Through two months of offseason workouts, the Saints’ three-man quarterback battle resembled more of a two-man competition. Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough have gotten the majority of reps with an injured Jake Haener (oblique) waiting to get healthy.
So, who will win the battle?
Moore obviously isn’t anywhere close to naming a victor. But through their play, both quarterbacks made a compelling argument for why they could win the job. Let’s take a closer look at why each man could realistically start Week 1.
### The case for Spencer Rattler
Spencer Rattler has publicly said he doesn’t feel that he’s been overlooked in the Saints’ starting quarterback battle. But his throws throughout this offseason have served as a quick reminder to make sure you’re not forgetting about him, just in case.
“You’ve just got to play free,” Rattler said.
Rattler has done so thus far. He’s been quick and decisive, looking much faster than a year ago. As much as he struggled in his seven games as a rookie, it’s apparent that experience only benefited the 24-year-old in the long run.
The Saints’ coaching staff isn’t oblivious to the challenging circumstances that Rattler faced last year, too. Injuries decimated the lineup, particularly along the offensive line and at wide receiver.
That doesn’t give Rattler an entire pass on his play from that stretch — he failed to win a game, after all — but it does explain why he does look better with a full supporting cast, and why it would be premature to just write him off after Year 1.
Rattler’s best moments as a rookie came when he was on the move, and if he wins the job, his mobility may prove to be a reason why. But what has been impressive about his stretch so far this offseason is that his top throws have come from the pocket.
Some of that, of course, can be explained by the fact the Saints have stuck to 7-on-7 work in practices — meaning there hasn’t been a true pass rush to force Rattler outside it. But a good throw is a good throw. And Rattler has absolutely needled some of these passes to his targets, whether that’s on a corner route to Dante Pettis or on a wheel route to running back Xazavian Valladay.
For Rattler to truly win this job, he’ll have to be noticeably better in areas that have yet to be measured this offseason. He was pressured on a staggering 39.2% of his dropbacks last season, and while it can be tempting to blame that on the health of the offensive line, he was also under duress in college. A Pro Football Focus study from 2019 indicated that pressure rate is one of the more consistent metrics to carry over from college to pros for quarterbacks.
The two other worrying trends for Rattler as a rookie were his splits between the first and second half, and his tendency to turn the ball over. His eight turnovers (five interceptions, three fumbles) were the league’s third-most across the weeks he suited up. And his passer rating went from 103.5 in the first half to 46.5 after halftime.
Training camp, and more so the preseason, will be a test for Rattler to show he’s learned from the past. But remember, Rattler was hardly a finished product when the Saints drafted him 144th overall in 2024. The Saints were intrigued by Rattler’s potential, especially given his background as a highly prized recruit who was once thought of as the top quarterback prospect in the country.
Quarterbacks need to be given time to grow. And perhaps Rattler will show enough growth this summer to seize the starting job.
### The case for Tyler Shough
Tyler Shough hasn’t looked overwhelmed at all in this competition, and he says there’s a good reason for that.
The quarterback is used to fighting for a starting spot.
At Louisville, Texas Tech and Oregon, Shough had to earn his job and he believes that has helped him throughout this summer. He said he doesn’t feel as pressed to force the deep ball, for instance, because he’s learned that taking the checkdown can be the smarter option.
“I know the best way to do it is just do your job,” Shough said.
There have been times this offseason in which Shough has been noticeably slower than Rattler. But a learning curve was to be expected. Rattler underwent a similar experience as a rookie last year, when he seemed hesitant on certain throws — especially before training camp. It has been evident Shough is still adjusting to the speed of NFL defenses, and the rate which he has to go through his progressions.
Still, Shough has improved over the last few weeks — and that bodes well that he’ll be able to keep pace in the competition when training camp starts next month. He was noticeably much sharper during mandatory minicamp, with the ball zipping out on certain throws.
Shough’s arm talent is undeniable. His deep passes rocket down the field, and he’s hit the Saints’ fast receivers in rhythm. However, beyond that, Shough’s arm talent results in impressive placement. He’s able to fire off passes into tight windows, such as when he hit Rashid Shaheed amid tight coverage from Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Like Rattler, Shough will have to show he’s comfortable with a pass rush. Several draft analysts noted how his game can falter under pressure, and the stats back that up. According to Pro Football Focus, his completion percentage at Louisville dipped from 71.3% when kept clean to 42.3% under pressure.
But as drastic as that split is, Shough was relatively good at avoiding sacks and turnovers. He was only sacked on 3% of his dropbacks last season and when facing pressure, he was sacked on only 9.3% of those plays — third-best in the nation. He also only had six interceptions in 2024, good for a 1.5% interception rate.
Draft status, meanwhile, won’t automatically win Shough the job. But it is worth mentioning. The 25-year-old was the Saints’ highest-drafted quarterback since 1971, and this coaching staff played an active role in wanting him. Shough, fairly or unfairly, is seen as Moore’s quarterback compared to the two signal-callers that the coach inherited.
If the competition continues to be close, it’s fair to wonder if the Saints will lean toward starting Shough because of that. And there’s an argument to be made that it may be more beneficial for the franchise in the long run to find out what they have in the rookie.
Then again, the circumstances might prove to be irrelevant. Shough may simply be the best quarterback on the roster. And he’s ready to show that’s the case.