As the New Orleans Saints evaluate and decide whether Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough will be their starting quarterback Week 1, the Indianapolis Colts have announced they are choosing Daniel Jones over Anthony Richardson. That leaves the Saints as the only team that hasn't announced their starting quarterback.
All eyes have already been on the Saints quarterback battle, because it involves a quarterback selected in the top-50 of this year's NFL draft. The Colts battle saw two players who the football world is beginning to or has already checked out on.
The Saints have two young quarterbacks in Rattler and Shough. The decision is taking longer than preferred, but it isn't a decision you can rush.
The pitfall of the Saints not making a decision yet
Kellen Moore has expressed many times that he'd like to make a decision early. As we enter the third preseason game, it's pretty difficult to pick Shough or Rattler. Shough won the first week, while Rattler was better Week 2. The matchup has been dead even, but that may not be the best thing for the Saints.
Neither quarterback is wowing through the process. It hasn't been bad, but it hasn't been great. You'd prefer for the Saints to see a quarterback run away with it. Not only has that not happened from an evaluation standpoint, the Saints also are losing time with a clear cut starter.
Rattler and Shough have taken snaps with the first team, but it's been broken up through a rotation. There's value in getting daily snaps with the first unit and building chemistry. The Saints haven't gotten there yet. Regardless of who wins the competition, both guys are young and need more time to get accustomed with their teammates.
It also allows the coaching staff to completely specialize the playbook for that quarterback's strength. Waiting is better than rushing your decision, but there is a negative impact due to the delay.
There wasn't much quarterback indecision this offseason
The Saints have the last ongoing quarterback battle, but there also weren't many this offseason. You could make a legitimate argument that the Saints and Colts were the only teams holding a true quarterback battle. The Cleveland Browns recently named Joe Flacco as the starter, but that never felt like a real competition, though a crowded room raised some interest.
Outside of that, other prominent rookies from this draft class aren't in limbo in the way Shough is. Jaxson Dart will start his career as the Russell Wilson's backup, and Brian Daboll made sure that was clear early in the process. Cam Ward immediately stepped into a starting role. It's Shough that is up in the air.