Who Should Be Saints' Starting QB Going Forward?

The New Orleans Saints benched starting quarterback Spencer Rattler midway through their Week 8 blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rattler was replaced by rookie quarterback Tyler Shough.

Saints head coach Kellen Moore initially declined to name a starter. That indicates he's weighing a difficult decision. Shough is the correct answer and should start the Saints' Week 9 contest versus the Los Angeles Rams.

Rattler completed 15-of-21 passing attempts for 136 yards, zero touchdowns, and one pick-six before being benched. Rattler also lost a fumble. The Saints managed three points and under 300 yards of offense.

Shough entered the contest and delivered somewhat similar results. He completed 17-of-30 passes for 128 yards and an interception that was Chris Olave’s fault. The Saints have a high draft pick invested in Shough, and need to find out if he's capable of being their franchise quarterback.

Rattler won a training camp competition over Shough, but was always on a short leash. The former Oklahoma and South Carolina standout committed four turnovers in last weekend's defeat to the Chicago Bears. Rattler had the aforementioned two turnovers during the first half versus the Buccaneers, and was also sacked on seven occasions in his previous six quarters.

The analytics aren’t any kinder to Rattler’s recent showings. He’s attempted a combined eight turnover-worthy plays (TWP) in those two outings, according to Pro Football Focus. By comparison, Rattler has just two big-time throws, with zero impressive throws against the Buccaneers.

Rattler's 17 turnover-worthy plays now lead the entire NFL in that department. His percentage of risky plays (5.4%) ranks second. The only quarterback who has played a riskier brand of football on a per-snap basis is Jake Browning, who was benched following the Joe Flacco trade.

Rattler is now 1-13 as a starter dating back to last season. The Saints drafted Shough at 40th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft after hiring Moore. Moore inherited Rattler from the previous regime, whereas he played a role in drafting Shough with a premium pick.

The Saints are now an NFL-worst 1-7. The New York Jets and Tennessee Titans are the other one-win teams. The Saints are currently scheduled to own the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft due to tiebreakers. Our latest first-round mock draft has them selecting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Moore and Mickey Loomis are unlikely to pass on drafting a top quarterback prospect if they own the top selection. Before that projection potentially becomes reality, the franchise has to be absolutely sure Shough isn't the answer they're looking for. Inserting him into the lineup by benching Rattler is the only way.

The Saints should essentially be in fact-finding mode. They're in year one of a lengthy roster rebuild. Their final nine contests must provide them with an extensive scouting report on Shough as a future starting quarterback.

Meanwhile, Rattler isn't the Saints' future starting quarterback. His recent struggles have made that painfully obvious. After being drafted with a top-40 selection, Shough deserves a multi-week opportunity to prove he's a franchise quarterback. The Saints need to bench Rattler and start Shough moving forward.