Kellen Moore’s Season in Jeopardy Before 1st Down After Saints Named Spencer Rattler as QB1 – Report

The Saints behold a legacy built with arms like Archie Manning’s and perfected by Drew Brees’s surgical precision. Now, that weight, that immense expectation, has officially landed on Spencer Rattler. And according to the projections, it might just be enough to sink Kellen Moore‘s ship before it even leaves the dock.

The Athletic’s Austin Mock projects a mere 5.2 wins for the Saints this season, the lowest number in the entire NFL. The reason is as stark as the stat itself: the worst quarterback situation in the league. First-year head coach Kellen Moore, the offensive wunderkind brought in to orchestrate a new era, now finds his inaugural season on the brink before a single meaningful snap.

His fate is tied to a QB who went 0-6 as a starter last year. Oddsmakers have already written them off, favoring the Saints in just one game this entire season—a Week 16 matchup against the Jets. Moore’s unenviable task began with a competition he surely hoped would have a different outcome.

The Saints used the 40th overall pick in the 2024 draft, their highest selection on a QB since taking Archie Manning second overall in 1971, on Tyler Shough. The plan seemed obvious: the rookie would seize the reins. But the plan met reality. Rattler and Shough battled through a dead-even summer, splitting first-team reps, each showing flashes and flaws in preseason action.

In the end, Moore opted for the one he knew. Announcing the decision, Moore praised Rattler’s consistency, saying, “He’s done an awesome job this offseason. He’s just been consistent. He’s made some really good decisions throughout this whole entire process, and his ability to make plays with his arm and feet has certainly shown up.” The keyword there is process.

A glimmer of hope for Kellen Moore

To understand the monumental challenge Rattler faces, you have to look back at his trial-by-fire rookie year. Thrown into the fire after Derek Carr’s right shoulder injury, he was piloting a sinking ship. The offensive line was patchwork, and crucially, his top weapons were in street clothes. “He lost [Chris] Olave and [Rashid] Shaheed early in that year, so he was rea6lly shorthanded. And as a rookie quarterback, you’re trying to figure it out,” noted Saints legend Brees on the Up & Adams show.

The low point was in Week 17 of ’24, a 34-0 shutout by the Packers, a game that laid bare the offensive deficiencies. His final line, 1,317 yards, 4 TDs, 5 INTs, doesn’t inspire confidence, but context is everything. This is where a sliver of light breaks through. The Saints aren’t the same team that fielded a practice squad offense by Week 17. They brought in veteran deep threat Brandin Cooks and Alvin Kamara, as Brees pointed out, “looks as good as I’ve ever seen him.” The offensive line, when healthy, remains a top-tier unit.

Rattler’s college resume at Oklahoma and South Carolina proves he has the talent; his school-record 68.9% completion rate in 2023 screams accuracy. The question is whether he can translate that to the NFL stage under immense pressure.

So, where does this leave Moore? Holding the toughest hand in the league. His season is in jeopardy because his QB1 is a massive question mark. Yet, there’s a paradoxical freedom in rock-bottom expectations. Every positive step Rattler takes will be a victory. And as Brees succinctly put it, looking at the NFC South landscape, “who scares you?” The division is wide open. If Rattler can simply manage the game, distribute the ball, and leverage the talent around him, those 5.2 win projections might just be exceeded.