Game Of Throws: Saints search for franchise QB will end with top pick in 2026 NFL Draft
The New Orleans Saints need a franchise quarterback.
Most Saints fans expected rookie Tyler Shough to audition for that job this season after he was selected with the 40th overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
However, first-year head coach Kellen Moore has named 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler the Week 1 starter after an uninspiring preseason competition.
The fact that New Orleans spent a second-round pick on a QB that couldn’t beat out last year’s fifth round pick for the starting job is a concern.
There’s also the fact that Rattler is still one year younger than Shough, who was the oldest quarterback in this year’s draft at 25-years-old. Of course, Shough should get an opportunity to show what he can do at some point during the regular season.
The priority for the Saints is to find out what they have at the position before next year’s NFL Draft, where their search for a franchise quarterback will likely continue with a top five pick.
63 per cent of the bets at FanDuel are on New Orleans to stay under 5.5 regular season wins. You can count me among those that placed a wager on the Saints to finish with five wins or fewer this season.
Running back Alvin Kamara just turned 30, top wide receiver Chris Olave has struggled to stay in the lineup, and the fact that Rattler and Shough will be competing for snaps at QB doesn’t inspire confidence.
New defensive coordinator Brandon Staley might be better off in his current role than as an NFL head coach, but there are too many holes on that side of the football to turn things around in one season.
The NFC South is one of the weakest divisions in the league on paper and New Orleans has been a heavy favourite to finish with the worst record in that group.
I’ll lock in Saints under 5.5 regular season wins as a FanDuel Best Bet for this team preview.
I’ll also sprinkle on New Orleans under 4.5 regular season wins at even-money.
Maybe one of Rattler or Shough plays well enough to convince the Saints not to draft one of the top QBs available next spring. I’ll bet on things to get worse before they get better in New Orleans.
Don’t be surprised if the Saints search for a franchise QB continues with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.