The New Orleans Saints will be Zach Wilson's fourth team in six years. Even so, head coach Kellen Moore thinks it's the right opportunity for the former first-round draft pick. The journeyman gives the Saints exactly what quarterback room needs next to Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler, competition.
Wilson is not going to compete for the starting job in New Orleans. He will, however, compete for the backup job against 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler and competition seems to be exactly what Moore wants.
Moore said that he's evaluated the quarterback a number of times now. "We felt like the opportunity was right. We feel really good about Tyler (Shough) and Spence (Spencer Rattler.) Both of those guys progressed well, but there's always competition in every NFL environment," Moore said. "I think it'll continue to be a good spot for us."
With Zach Wilson, the Saints QB room will definitely be more competitive
Wilson has completed 57% of his passes for 6,325 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions in 38 career games with the Jets and Dolphins. While he did spend a year with the Broncos, he never even got to dress in the regular season, serving as their third-string quarterback all season. Moore walked away impressed with Wilson's film in Denver's preseason, however.
Career stats of Wilson and Rattler will obviously be lopsided towards Wilson, and that is purely because of the experience difference between the two. However, if you shorten the new signee's stats to his first 16 starts, you'll see that the two potential backup quarterbacks for New Orleans are a lot closer than some may think. Rattler actually leads in nearly every statistical category as well, except he's three passing yards, three interceptions, and five wins short of Wilson.
Through his first sixteen games, Wilson was on the struggle bus, going 6-10. During that span, he also completed barely half of his passes, 55.68%, for 2,906 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Rattler was on the same bus, going 2-14, but had a higher completion percentage of 62.7%. Additionally, he has thrown for 2,903 yards with 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his first sets of starts.
It's sure to be an intense competition, perhaps even the most intense in the NFL this offseason. Good thing Saints fans will get their first look at them in just a few short weeks at the first set of offseason training activities.