The New Orleans Saints have drafted a quarterback in three straight drafts, beginning with Jake Haener in the fourth round in 2023. Last year, the Saints seemingly got good value with Spencer Rattler in the fifth round and this year, of course, they spent their second-round pick on Tyler Shough.
All three of those guys are still on the Saints' roster but who will win the starting job? A lot depends on Derek Carr's availability in 2025. If he's cleared to play, he'll likely be the starter. If he's not able to go, it feels as though it could be Shough's job to lose.
This is bad news for Rattler, who, going into the draft, was probably the frontrunner to start at quarterback for New Orleans if Carr was unable to play. Rattler started six games for the Saints as a rookie and, at one time, was supposed to be a much higher draft pick until things spiraled out of control for him at Oklahoma.
Shough's presence already made things more difficult for Rattler to win the starting gig. If you're someone who takes stock in future awards, the Offensive Rookie of the Year odds will really make it seem as though Rattler's days as a starter are numbered. Ben Solak of ESPN gave Shough the third-best odds of winning the award, spelling further doom for Rattler.
Tyler Shough's OROY odds make QB situation even more grim for Spencer Rattler
Solak's OROY rankings include Cam Ward first, Ashton Jeanty second, and then Shough. Solak noted that he placed Shough above first-round pick Jaxson Dart because of Shough likely having an opportunity to play sooner than the Giants quarterback.
Being a quarterback already puts Shough in a better spot to win the award but it'll be tough to pry it away from Ward or Jeanty if either of those guys put together amazing seasons. Shough would have to play lights out and likely lead the Saints to a playoff berth if he were to truly be in the running.
Saints fans don't care about all of that pomp and circumstance though. Fans just want to see Shough develop into a solid quarterback so that this team can stop floundering and start competing again. Hopefully, Shough is the beginning of that taking place for the New Orleans Saints.