Derek Carr’s sudden retirement caught the NFL world off guard and disrupted the New Orleans Saints’ plans for the 2025 season. Carr was still the best option in their quarterback room as a solid veteran who provided a stable floor for first-year head coach Kellen Moore to build around.
Now, all the remaining options are developmental projects. Moore responded to the situation by expressing confidence in his young group of quarterbacks, even though the team still lacks a clear starter. They will face a tough challenge in 2025, especially with the NFC South showing significant improvement compared to last season.
Kellen Moore Talks About the Saints QB Situation Ahead of 2025 Season
The Saints’ 2024 season was plagued by injuries that hurt the team’s performance all year long. After starting with two dominant wins over the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, the team’s level dropped, and with Carr’s injury, they lost even more competitiveness.
Carr discovered the shoulder injury during the offseason, and doctors determined it would require surgery that would sideline him for the entire 2025 season. Facing the prospect of either playing through pain and never being fully healthy again, or missing the season entirely, Carr decided to end his NFL career. With his retirement, New Orleans was left with one of the bleakest quarterback situations in the league, a challenge now handed to the team’s new head coach.
Moore will work with rookies Tyler Shough and Hunter Dekkers, second-year pro Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener, who’s been with the team since 2023. While far from ideal, Moore expressed excitement about working with young players who are still developing and can be molded to fit his system.
“I like where those guys are heading,” Moore said. “A lot of the quarterback process during the OTA phase is really focused on their command and their control, their ability to call the play, take control at the line of scrimmage. I thought all those guys get a check there, they did a really good job.”
The quarterback competition in New Orleans is wide open, but fans are most excited to see rookie Shough take over. He was drafted as the third quarterback off the board, a surprise to many who expected Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders to go early in the second round. Despite the unexpected draft order, Shough has already flashed some encouraging signs in practice.
Tyler Shough deep ball to Bub Means pic.twitter.com/pb8j8G9X0d
— kaj (@kadinjanisch) May 29, 2025
With a strong arm and the ability to operate the system from day one, Shough brings a higher floor thanks to his extensive experience. The quarterback played college football at three schools from 2018 to 2024 and enters the NFL at 25 years old after being drafted out of Louisville. He’ll turn 26 in late September, making him one of the oldest rookie quarterbacks the league has seen in recent decades.
Moore added that he’s seen traits in his quarterbacks that align with what he’s looking for during camp, and that’s exactly what he needs right now to begin molding and refining these players moving forward.
“You see them make the throws that you need to make, they certainly made those plays and I think their preparation has been really good,” Moore said. “The execution, just the consistency is going to be the big aspect as we continue to grow this thing. But feel really good about where all these guys are at.”
The Saints will open the 2025 season at home on Sept. 7 against the Arizona Cardinals, followed by a tough Week 2 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Whoever wins the quarterback battle will be leading a rebuilt roster under a new head coach. The pressure is real, but expectations for the Saints this season are relatively low, which could work in their favor.
Carr’s departure accelerated a long-overdue rebuild, though likely without the ideal pieces in place right away. With all three division rivals improving over the offseason, it’s tough to demand much from the Louisiana franchise. However, the NFL has shown time and again that rookies can surprise, and sometimes take teams from the top of the draft to the top of the conference faster than anyone expects.