Kellen Moore tips his hand on who has the lead in the Saints quarterback competition right before their preseason begins
Preseason play could help everyone get a better glimpse at the expectations for the different QB options in black and gold, but Moore and his staff may have tipped their hand a bit this week, ahead of New Orleans’ first preseason action this weekend.
Kellen Moore’s first big decision when it comes to depth chart management this season will be at quarterback. Who will start at QB in Week 1 for the New Orleans Saints. Rookie Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener have all tossed their hats in, but only one will win the job initially.
Preseason play could help everyone get a better glimpse at the expectations for the different QB options in black and gold, but Moore and his staff may have tipped their hand a bit this week, ahead of New Orleans’ first preseason action this weekend.
Spencer Rattler takes first-team reps two days in a row
According to Nick Underhill, Spencer Rattler was QB1 at training camp practice for the second outing in a row. That’s the first time that has happened during camp so far. On a normal basis, the three quarterbacks (Rattler, Tyler Shough, and Jake Haener) have rotated with the first, second, and third-teams.
Rattler has been impressing fairly consistently at camp. On two different occasions, he’s come one pass shy of having a perfect day completion-wise. Both of those misses have been due to drops, too. He’s been effective and efficient, two aspects that Moore will value in his offense.
Shough also took first-time reps on Tuesday, but those followed Rattler’s to begin practice.
The talk of the town around camp has been that Rattler has the edge, based on performance and particular reps. He’s now seen the most time with the squad’s starters. That is notable, particularly when you consider that the Saints are adjusting to a fresh, new offensive scheme under Moore. All of these reps are important for every piece of the offense, including rookies and veterans.
We will see if this was a hint as to who has the current advantage in the competition. This battle is not over yet, but Rattler may be Moore’s top option as of right now. The Saints kick off their exhibition play versus the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon.
