The New Orleans Saints were set at quarterback, at least for the 2025 season, before Derek Carr’s surprise retirement shook up the room. Although the decision was announced after the NFL Draft, it explained the Saints’ haste in selecting Tyler Shough in the second round.
Shough was picked 40th overall and is now joined by second- and third-year quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, who have a combined seven starts and zero wins. Saints defensive end Cam Jordan was asked about his thoughts on the young quarterback room, and unlike many, he appeared confident that they could succeed.
Cam Jordan Throws His Weight Behind New Orleans Saints Young QB Group
Jordan was speaking on NFL Live when he was asked about his thoughts on the Saints’ quarterback room, and the defensive end said he saw a lot of potential in the young group. He particularly praised Shough and Rattler, the two frontrunners for the starting job, but also added that he wouldn’t trust them until the full practice.
“Young. Lot of potential,” the eight-time Pro Bowler said on NFL Live. A lot of hope, and then in this building, we bring in a new head coach in Kellen Moore, and you know the QB he was, and he goes and drafts a guy, practically almost in the first round. But you also got Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and Hunter Dekker. Just nothing but quips.”
“We only had OTAs, but each one of them made some throws that you like…But I’m not gonna trust anybody until I see live bullets. But I like what we are seeing early. We talk about Tyler Shough making all the right throws, checkdowns, timing-wise, good stuff. You talk about Spencer Rattler, I’m high on Spencer. He’s got the competitive grit. Same with Tyer Shough, but he’s comprehending at a high level. So, I don’t think we’re in a bad place in terms of the future of what they can do.”
.@camjordan94 doesn’t believe the Saints are “in a bad place” with their QB room 📈 pic.twitter.com/wkwLC4Pzv6
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) June 19, 2025
The quarterback competition is between Shough and Rattler at the moment, and the Saints saw what the latter can do last year when he finished the season 130-228 with 1,317 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions in seven games and six starts.
Meanwhile, Shough enters the league after six seasons of college football, and while he wasn’t viewed as a top-50 prospect, his maturity and NFL-ready caliber likely convinced the Saints to invest the 40th overall pick.
During his time in college, the 6’5″, 219-pound quarterback played two seasons for Oregon, three seasons at Texas Tech, and finished his career at Louisville. After throwing for 1,300+ yards in 2020 and 2022, Shough’s real rise as a capable starter happened in 2024 when he threw for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns with just six interceptions.
As a 25-year-old with six years of experience at the collegiate level, there aren’t many rookies better suited to take on the starting job than Shough. However, Rattler has been equally good, if not better, in the offseason practices so far, and it should be a close competition right until the end of the preseason.