The New Orleans Saints are putting the finishing touches on their roster for the 2023 NFL season. A wide open quarterback competition is turning rancorous as Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler battle it out. Both players are competing for the starting spot, with the team’s choice due before their season opener on Saturday. Each stakeholder has their own areas of strength and areas of challenge. As they go into Week 1, the Saints are at an important crossroads.
Fellow April draftee Tyler Shough must be feeling even more heat as he turns 26 on September 28th. Rattler, a year younger than Shough, has already put his talent on display. He’s continued to impress throughout training camp. As the Saints continue to mold their roster that Saints fan Steve L. This judgment will determine who ushers the team into the regular season.
Training Camp Performance
During the first week of training camp, Spencer Rattler showcased impressive composure and accuracy, completing all nine of his passing attempts on Day 1. His dominance made it tough for the competition to keep up. Tyler Shough faltered at first, showing inexperience that made people doubt his readiness for the starting job.
As camp went on, Shough started to make it a race with Rattler. Aside from that, you could see his improvement when we would practice. During five practices on the West Coast, he alternated first-team reps with Rattler. The competition intensified during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers on August 10, where both quarterbacks received ample opportunities to prove themselves.
In a key turning point, Shough connected on a backbreaking 54-yard touchdown strike to Tipton. Surprising as it was, this great play occurred only one series after he’d thrown the pick-six. This play served to reinforce his downside, but his capacity to bounce back from misfortune — a big reason executives loved Stroud so much.
“The biggest thing for me is I kind of feel myself kind of gaining a little bit of momentum.” – Tyler Shough
Challenges and Expectations
Rookie of the Year consideration cannot be overstated. He started six games last season filling in for an injured Derek Carr. That overall experience, past and present, has all played a part in Rattler’s increasing confidence level as he makes his way through training camp. He has stated an intent to put together some good back-to-back-to-back outings in the preseason.
“I want to put together a string of three good games, preseason this year,” – Spencer Rattler
As Moore, the Saints’ head coach, said, both quarterbacks have been on fire with their consistency since the start of camp. The numbers are eye-opening when you consider they have almost the same numbers across the board. Moore admitted Rattler had a head start with his extra time in the program.
“It’s literally the same exact numbers in every category. They’re very consistent throughout the whole process. Spencer has obviously been here one more year. We’ll start with him and go from there. I wouldn’t worry too much about that.” – Moore
Despite Rattler’s early lead, Shough has refocused his efforts and emphasized that he feels more comfortable in “unscripted” situations like two-minute drives and preseason games. His capacity for rapid iteration and adjustment will be key as the team heads into its final crunch.
“When you play in some un-scouted situations, it’s great work. You’ve got to respond, you’ve got to trust yourself, you’ve got to react,” – Moore
Looking Ahead
With the regular season just around the corner, the Saints will certainly want to make sure they have their QB situation figured out well before Week 1. Yet Judge Moore said the group is very much “close” to coming to a determination. On that critical question, he continues to keep his cards to his chest.
“Obviously before Week 1… As soon as we get to that point, we’ll pull it off, whatever day it is,” – Moore
The final decision will not only impact the team’s immediate future but set the tone for both quarterbacks’ careers. With training camp drawing to a close, things are starting to ramp up for the season. It’s clear to both Shough and Rattler that each rep in practice is more valuable than ever.
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