3 Saints who should be benched or traded after crushing loss to Buccaneers

New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler looked like he belonged in his first NFL start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. Yet, he and the team lost by three possessions.

After allowing 17 unanswered points in the first quarter, the Saints mounted a furious comeback, scoring 27 in the second to take a halftime lead. Alas, New Orleans failed to record another point, with Tampa Bay pulling out a 51-27 victory.

The Saints have dropped four consecutive games following their impressive 2-0 start, though Rattler wasn't the problem in the blowout defeat. He looked ready to step in under center and keep the ship afloat sans starting signal-caller Derek Carr. Frankly, his teammates didn't do enough around him to get the job done.

Despite forcing three turnovers, the defense struggled, if the final result is any indication. Moreover, members of the offensive unit made life harder for Rattler. Overall, it was a sloppy collective effort, with plenty of blame to be tossed around. Meanwhile, out of everyone, these three players deserve to bear the most responsibility and face consequences for the lopsided outcome.

3. Tyrann Mathieu, S

Yes, Tyrann Mathieu exited the contest in the first half because of a forearm injury and was eventually ruled out. But the Saints are drifting further from playoff contention in the NFC, so shopping veterans like the talented safety may be in their best interest.

Mathieu signed a two-year, $13.75 million contract extension with New Orleans this offseason but has no guaranteed money in 2025. The structure of his deal makes him expendable and a desirable midseason rental for any contender needing secondary help, assuming he's not seriously hurt.

Before going down, Mathieu didn't make his presence felt on the stat sheet, recording one tackle. He may not be a three-time All-Pro at this stage of his career but the 12-year pro can still be effective leadership. Furthermore, his championship pedigree and status as a respected locker room leader only add to his value.

2. Mason Tipton, WR

Entering Week 6, Mason Tipton appeared to have a firm grip on New Orleans' No. 3 receiver spot. He was the only wideout not named Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed to draw more than one target this season. Nonetheless, the Saints coaching staff seemed to finally get others involved versus the Bucs because the undrafted rookie hasn't done anything with his opportunity.

Tipton caught one of the two looks he saw for 15 scoreless yards. Instead, the Saints turned to alternative pass-catchers like 2024 fifth-round pick Bub Means and veteran journeyman Cedrick Wilson Jr. Both outproduced the Yale product, further justifying a diminished role (or worse) moving forward.

It feels safe to say the Tipton experiment is over. Olave suffered a concussion, putting his status for Week 7 in jeopardy. Regardless, the Saints must look to someone other than the former to keep the passing attack on schedule.

1. Alontae Taylor, CB

Considering Alontae Taylor primarily operates from the slot for the Saints and Bucs standout receiver Chris Godwin feasted inside, the cornerback tops this list.

Godwin went bonkers in Tampa Bay's shellacking of the Saints. He caught 11 of his 13 targets for 125 yards and two touchdowns, including this incredible 55-yard catch-and-run house call:

As you can see, Godwin shed multiple Saints defenders en route to his second end zone trip, with Taylor being one of them. The poor tackling from the defensive back and the group allowed Tampa Bay to take a lead and never look back.

Taylor wasn't the only one getting cooked by Godwin — everyone in a Saints uniform did. Still, the corner didn't handle his assignment, costing New Orleans tremendously.