Consistent outbursts from New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler understandably had fans hyped about the future.
And while Rattler’s preseason finale created an interesting dynamic when looking ahead to the team’s future with current starter Derek Carr, Saints head coach Dennis Allen isn’t even close to being there.
In fact, Allen isn’t even ready to crown an official No. 2 quarterback.
Speaking with reporters on the topic around final cuts and the waiver wire activity, Allen revealed that the “competition” will continue.
“It’s a healthy competition,” Allen said, according to NOLA.com’s Matthew Paras. “Both those guys have done well and so, I’m not in any way going to make any statement or comment, declaration or anything of that nature. We’ll let those guys keep coming out and working and practicing and getting better. Here’s the deal: With both of those players, both of them, we’ve got to develop.”
Which sounds good in terms of coach-speak, but there are only so many reps to go around for developing backups without interfering with the starting offense during a regular season. That’s one of the many, many reasons teams don’t usually draft notable developmental passers in back-to-back years. Jake Haener was a fourth-round pick in 2023, with Rattler arriving via the fifth round this year.
Another hiccup for the Saints—one of the quarterbacks will be the third-stringer and inactive on gamedays, most likely, which is something fans will keep under a spotlight all year long.
And while we don’t have an inside track in the organization and where things might be headed if Carr starts struggling during a bad season…it sure feels like fans will be chanting for Rattler, not Haener, to replace the 33-year-old veteran.
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