The NFL preseason just kicked off, and already, the New Orleans Saints are giving fans and new HC Kellen Moore plenty to think about. The QB battle is heating up, and it’s messy. Rookie Tyler Shough flashed some promise, launching a gorgeous 54-yard TD against the Chargers on Sunday that had the crowd buzzing. But then came the ugly pick-six, the kind of mistake that makes coaches groan into their headsets. Meanwhile, Spencer Rattler lurks in the background, ready to pounce if Shough stumbles again. Moore’s got his work cut out for him. The Saints need a QB they can trust, and right now, nobody’s running away with the job. But here’s the twist: rumors are swirling that Moore might have his eye on an unexpected fix.

And it’s not the name anyone saw coming. As the Saints’ preseason QB drama plays out, rumors are swirling that Kellen Moore might be eyeing a… controversial solution. According to CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, the Saints could soon be in the mix for Kenny Pickett, the same Pickett who just landed dead last in The Athletic’s 2025 QB rankings. Ouch!!

Right now, Pickett’s stuck in a four-way battle in Cleveland, and honestly, he’s not winning it. “Failing to separate from a 41-year-old Joe Flacco in practice was the first red flag,” Benjamin wrote. “Or maybe we should’ve given more consideration to the fact he’s on his third team in as many years.” 

It’s been rough. In Pittsburgh, Pickett tossed 13 TDs and 13 picks over two seasons. In Philly? He warmed the bench behind Jalen Hurts. Now in Cleveland, he’s buried behind Joe Flacco, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel, and a hamstring injury isn’t helping. “His chances of opening 2025 under center already feel very remote,” Benjamin added. So why would Moore want him? That’s the million-dollar question.

Maybe it’s a low-risk stake. Maybe he sees something nobody else does. Or maybe, just maybe, the Saints are that desperate for QB depth. Either way, if this happens, Saints fans might need a very strong drink. Meanwhile, back in the Saints camp, rookie Tyler Shough keeps giving coaches whiplash. One minute he’s launching bombs, the next he’s handing points to the other team.

Kellen Moore faces QB conundrum after Shough’s rocky debut

Preseason football is all about flashes and flops, and nobody embodied that more than Tyler Shough in the Saints’ opener. The rookie QB took fans on a wild ride, one minute marching the offense downfield for points, the next gifting the Chargers a pick-six on a brutal throw. But here’s the thing: that 54-yard laser to Mason Tipton? That’s exactly why this competition just got interesting.

While Shough delivered the most promising stat line of the night in 18 minutes (15-of-22 for 165 yards), his performance came with clear growing pains. The rookie outshone both Spencer Rattler‘s cautious 7-of-11 for 53 yards and Jake Haener‘s mistake-filled showing, but that ugly pick-six reminded everyone he’s still learning. What mattered most, though, was how he responded, ripping a 54-yard touchdown on the very next drive. That resilience caught Moore’s attention. “That’s what is going to happen in this league… I thought he did a great job,’ the coach admitted postgame. ‘We’ll learn from the interception, but his response was really valuable.”

Rattler, the former South Carolina star, showed glimpses, too, scrambling three times for 22 rushing yards when plays broke down. “He did some good stuff using his feet,” Moore noted, though the offense stalled in key moments. With Derek Carr suddenly retired, this three-way QB battle (Shough vs. Rattler vs. Haener) just became must-watch TV. Shough’s big-arm potential keeps him in the mix, but those rookie mistakes won’t fly come September. 

So while the Saints wrestle with their QB dilemma, the rumor mill keeps churning. Could Kellen Moore really take a flier on Kenny Pickett? The same Pickett who got outplayed by a 40-year-old Flacco? The same guy bouncing between his third team in three years? It’s a wild risk, but in a league desperate for QB answers, maybe Moore sees a reclamation project where everyone else sees a lost cause. Either way, Saints fans might want to buckle up… because this QB carousel is only getting crazier.