The quarterback carousel within the New Orleans Saints is spinning fast, and Kellen Moore may not have much choice about where it stops. With training camp in full swing in Metairie, rookie Tyler Shough has been trying to find his footing on a roster that’s being reshaped by urgency and performance gaps. Moore has been working with a trio of young passers – Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough, and Jake Haener. But none of them has solidified his claim as the clear starter. 

The competition was expected to be tight. Shough came with intrigue as a rookie with size, mobility, and arm talent. And Rattler returned with a year of experience under his belt. But Moore has maintained that each player is getting a fair shot and emphasized that “these guys will grow every day”. So, immediate results are not to be expected. But even after five days of camp, it seems one QB is emerging as the frontrunner, at least according to what one NFL insider observed. 

In his latest interview on the New Orleans Football Show, NFL insider Ian Rapoport suggested that the Saints’ offense looks exactly like what we feared. While speaking with the show’s host, Nick Underhill, Rapoport didn’t mince words as he suggested that the Saints have a bottom-tier unit with the league’s murkiest quarterback situation. And while no one is ready to make final calls, both Rapoport and Underhill agreed that if Kellen Moore’s team had to play a game soon, one quarterback would be the clear starter. And it is not Tyler Shough. 

“If you were making a decision today… I think it’s very easily Spencer Rattler starting the game,” host Nick Underhill said. Rapoport agreed, adding, “One guy looks ready and one guy doesn’t. There are so many paths for Rattler to get this job.” So how did Rattler pull ahead? Rapoport outlined a few paths to Rattler winning the job. According to him, Rattler simply performs better – more decisiveness, downfield throws, and consistency.

Rapoport also suggested that “the decision for Tyler Shuck might be let’s sit him the same way so many teams sit their rookie behind a Jacobe Brassette or a Brian Hoyer.” So, Tyler Shough might have looked better than Rattler last year, but the momentum has shifted.

Rattler has already strung together solid days at camp. And while he had his off moments, he also showed growth. That matters as “the preseason games should count for four times as much as any practice does,” Rapoport noted. But he also added that it was important for Rattler to establish an early lead – and he has. Still, this isn’t a slam dunk for Rattler.

Underhill pushed back slightly on the idea that he’s ready for prime time. “I don’t think that Spencer Rattler looks as if… I was one of the other 31 teams I’d be like, ‘man, I wish I had him’. Like I don’t know that he’s a starter in any other situation right now,” Underhill said. “But I think there’s clearly one guy that’s not swimming right now. And I think Tyler Shough is swimming.” And the one not might have to bow down.

Rapoport concluded that last year also factors into the QB1 race for the Saints. “Rattler was 0-6 as a starter, and he showed ups and downs… But more than anything, what he showed me last year is that I could put him out there… And I expect him to be even better this year. So, knowing that he’s… Survived seven games and at times even thrived… That lets you know that that’s your baseline and and Tyler Shough is going to have to prove that he can be above that baseline.” Therefore, the recent practice on Monday was a big opportunity for Shough to prove his potential as he joined the first full-padded practice for the Saints.

While there were some positives, reports suggest that Shough still lacks the performance to become Moore’s QB1. 

Tyler Shough’s concerning performance at the training camp

The question concerning Tyler Shough has been how he might hold up under real pressure. The early signs have not been promising. On Monday, Shough led the first-team offense and finished 6-of-9 passing, bringing his camp total to 17-of-30. Shough showed promise on two third-down completions early, but both throws were low and required excellent grabs from receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. That’s not sustainable success – it’s survival. 

Then came the miscues: an overthrow on an out-breaking route, a skipped pass at Shaheed’s feet, and another misfire on a screen. Tyler Shough’s reps ended with a sack split by Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders. In seven-on-sevens, Shough strangely scrambled out of bounds on back-to-back plays rather than testing the coverage, which Moore defended as part of the Saints’ emphasis on the “scramble drill.” Still, that kind of hesitation raises questions.

Compare that to Rattler, who, despite working with the second team, continues to get the ball out quickly and make high-reward throws. It’s not that Rattler has been flawless – he went just 1 of 4 in Monday’s second-team drills. But his comfort level is noticeably higher than Tyler Shough’s. And what about Jake Haener?

Well, he had limited opportunities with the third team. So, he hasn’t shown enough to truly enter the QB1 conversation. Haener’s biggest miss was a slightly underthrown ball that allowed linebacker Isaiah Stalbird to break it up. So where does this all leave us?

Rapoport summed it up best: “There are so many paths that lead to Rattler. The only path to Shough starting is that he clearly outperforms everyone for the next three weeks. And that feels like a long shot.” But it still depends on Moore’s decision. Will he throw Shough into the fire or go with the guy who’s more comfortable right now?

While the Saints’ QB1 race gets heated, one player will have to win, and Moore’s hand might be forced.