The NFL preseason has already had its first chapter, and the New Orleans Saints showcased the kind of situation head coach Kellen Moore will have to deal with in the short term: a tough battle for the starting quarterback job. Tyler Shough, one of the contenders, made it clear he wants that spot, but he’ll need to improve significantly as the days go by.
In what ended up being a 27-13 win for the Chargers in their first preseason game, Moore got a chance to see both the former Louisville standout and Spencer Rattler in action — arguably the two leading candidates to start in Week 1 — pushing Jake Haener down the depth chart.
After the game, the first-time NFL head coach spoke to the media and shared his thoughts on Shough’s performance, stating that the young quarterback will need to learn from his mistakes in order to keep growing.
“That’s what is going to happen in this league as you go through these seasons and so I thought he did a great job,” Moore said via the team’s website. “We’ll learn from the interception, we’ll learn from that one, we’ll grow, but his response was really valuable.”
Tyler Shough #6 of the New Orleans Saints runs against Emany Johnson #38 and Marlowe Wax #58 of the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half during a NFL Preseason 2025 game at SoFi Stadium on August 10, 2025 in Inglewood, California.
During his time on the field, the rookie went 15-of-22 for 165 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in his debut as a Saint.
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Rattler, the other main contender
Although Moore has not officially spoken about who will be his starting quarterback for the Saints’ season opener on September 7th against the Arizona Cardinals at home, the former Eagles OC knows he has enough talent to fill that role.
Spencer Rattler arrived in New Orleans in 2024, but having Derek Carr ahead of him kept him from seeing the action he hoped for, although he finally got his chance due to the injury of the now-retired QB. Moore, on his part, saw promising signs from the former South Carolina quarterback in his performance against the Chargers last weekend.
“I thought Spencer (Rattler) did some good stuff coming out of there, using his feet in some situations where he had some avoided zone areas,” he said. “He was able to make some plays out of. Probably for us just playing some situational football, we were close on getting in the range for some points and we just weren’t able to get those things done.”
Spencer Rattler #2 of the New Orleans Saints looks to pass against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half during a NFL Preseason 2025 game at SoFi Stadium on August 10, 2025 in Inglewood, California.
The race for QB1
The competition for the QB1 spot in the Saints’ camp is heating up as the season approaches. With Derek Carr’s retirement, the battle for the starting job is now a three-way race between Jake Haener, Spencer Rattler, and Tyler Shough.
While new head coach Kellen Moore has yet to name a definitive starter, all three quarterbacks are vying for the position in what promises to be a compelling training camp and preseason. The performance of each player during this crucial period will ultimately determine who gets the nod to lead the Saints’ offense.
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