With Derek Carr retiring, the New Orleans Saints surprisingly have some very optimistic positives to draw from the situation. After trying to build a playoff team for years without success, they can finally attempt to reset their timeline. However, they still have the 2025 season to get through. Due to the timing of Carr’s retirement, the franchise couldn’t pivot to a different free agent quarterback.
Add in the relatively weak quarterback class of 2025, and New Orleans saw it best to only invest a second-round pick in Tyler Shough. With competition in the locker room, the other options for the organization are Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. As a result, one analyst believes a brutal year for the franchise could pave the way for them to add their quarterback of the future in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Can the New Orleans Saints Exercise Patience?
In the final years of Drew Brees slinging the football, the team had a noble idea of borrowing from the future to build a legitimate playoff team around their aging superstar quarterback. However, even after his retirement, New Orleans tried to move forward with that model.
With the execution failing to present the anticipated results, the Saints continued to dig a deeper cap hole for themselves. With Carr no longer on the roster, they can let the 2025 season go to waste and wait for next season.
With Shough and Rattler as their primary quarterback options, it is unlikely that either of them will solidify themselves as franchise quarterbacks for the team. As a result, the latest mock draft from PFSN has them among the worst teams in the league.
Brentley Weissman believes the Saints should go after Drew Allar from Penn State with the third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Understanding the questions against him, Weissman acknowledged his personal bias.
“Drew Allar is going to be highly polarizing as we approach the season. His highs are very high, and his lows are very low, but I still believe in his upside.” However, his bias isn’t completely fictional. Last year, Allar put up 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns, against just eight interceptions.
Since 2023, Drew Allar leads the FBS with 38 3rd/4th down conversions on in-breaking routes. #1 selling point for Allar besides the arm talent imo, he could find these backside digs with a blindfold on pic.twitter.com/A8s6s4QtWk
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) July 15, 2025
As a result, Weissman sees the potential positives he has to offer. “He has very good size, a powerful arm, and is an above-average athlete. As long as Allar cuts back on his turnover-worthy plays, look for him to be a high selection.”
For the Saints, waiting one year could allow them to assess their current quarterback room while also giving them a chance to draft a quarterback of their choice, who could usher in a new era for the franchise.
