With the Indianapolis Colts naming Daniel Jones their starting quarterback on Tuesday over Anthony Richardson and the Cleveland Browns picking Joe Flacco as their starter on Monday ahead of Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders, the New Orleans Saints are left as the only team yet to make a decision on their Week 1 quarterback. And it’s easy to see why this is taking so long. Neither Spencer Rattler nor Tyler Shough have taken a clear lead over the other in the quarterback competition this summer.
Rattler started hot at training camp and looked like the obvious choice going into the first preseason game. But Shough has closed that gap, and after Rattler’s quiet outing against the Los Angeles Chargers’ first-team defense, the rookie made it a real competition. But he hasn’t taken the lead. Shough didn’t make much headway against the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first teamers in the second preseason game, so now we’re on to the third and final exhibition game (against Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos) to decide the battle. Maybe.
It’s one thing to go with Rattler to start the season and, if he struggles, to make a change to the rookie. At this point Shough is largely unknown and the potential in going with a new quarterback is exciting. If Rattler starts the first four or five weeks against a tough slate of opponents and strong pass rushes, and flounders, the Saints could announce it’s time for Shough to make his debut. Getting a softer schedule from there on out would be better for the rookie.
But it’s something else to name Shough the starter, watch him struggle for the first month of the season, and then pull him out of the lineup in favor of Rattler. That could be crippling for his confidence. It would invite questions about whether Rattler should have been starting from the jump, and whether the Saints should have drafted him in the first place. That isn’t pressure he needs added onto his shoulders.
So here’s what we would do, taking those factors into consideration. Go with Rattler in the first month of the season. If he plays well enough to hold onto the starting job, ride it out with him and acknowledge that Shough maybe wasn’t as pro-ready as you hoped. Give the rookie added time at practice to develop and evaluate him. If Rattler doesn’t cut it after those four or five games, switch to Shough. A Week 6 late-afternoon kickoff with the New England Patriots (whose defense ranked bottom-10 in a lot of stats last year) could be a good opportunity to showcase him.
But that’s assuming Rattler doesn’t succeed. Shough hasn’t beaten Rattler yet. Things could very well go in a different direction come September. If Rattler can ride out that opening-month storm then he could be the one who benefits from a lighter road. We’ll find out what the Saints are planning soon enough. They were the last team to hire a head coach this offseason. Of course they’re being patient in their QB competition, too.
