New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is coming off of an impressive Offensive Rookie of the Year season, after taking over as the starter mid way through the season. He finished with 2,384 passing yards and 13 total touchdowns, while setting multiple franchise passing records for the squad. His emergence helped spark a turnaround in New Orleans, leading the team to five wins over their final nine games after a disastrous 1-8 start.
Shough has received widespread praises and generated significant excitement because of the potential he displayed. However, the Saints Wire's Arye Pulli isn’t quite on board, ranking him significantly low in their NFC South quarterback rankings. They placed him fifth, behind every starter and Atlanta's backup. This indicates that despite the optimism surrounding his future, there is still considerable skepticism about whether he can consistently perform at a high level.
“With a strong season in 2026 — one that he's expected to have — Shough could leap all the way to the top two spots. However, the simple fact is that he's only played in 11 games in his one-year NFL career. It's hard not to rank Shough higher solely on untapped potential, but that potential has yet to be realized. He'll have an opportunity to show that he's better than the four players above him in 2026.”
Michael Penix gets optimism while Tyler Shough gets doubt
It’s understandable why Baker Mayfield, and Tua Tagovailoa were ranked ahead of Tyler Shough, considering both quarterbacks have significantly more experience and proven success at the NFL level. Bryce Young also ranking ahead of Shough is also reasonable after coming off a breakout season that finally showcased the potential many expected from him coming out of college.
However, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix appears to be receiving praise for many of the same questions that Shough is getting being criticized for.
“Penix showed plenty of flashes during his 2025 campaign with the Falcons before he was sidelined with an injury. He threw for almost 2,000 yards in just nine starts and proved to the league that his arm talent is legitimate. The only thing holding Penix back is his lingering knee injuries. He's suffered several season-ending knee injuries, dating back to his college days at Indiana. He's another player with the potential to be in the top two spots after next season.”
Penix not only ranks ahead of Shough, but checks in two spots higher as the third best quarterback in the division. What makes the ranking more questionable is that Penix started in the same number of games as Shough last season, appearing in nine contests, while operating in a significantly better offensive situation that many expected to compete for the division with solid quarterback play.
Despite those advantages, he finished with fewer passing yards at 1,982, fewer total touchdowns with 10, and less team success, posting a 3-6 team record before suffering a torn ACL. Considering the similarities in experience between the two quarterbacks and the fact that Shough produced more with less around him, ranking Penix comfortably ahead of him feels more projection based than performative based.
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