The New Orleans Saints predictably settled on Louisville's Tyler Shough in the second round of April's NFL Draft. We knew this was coming as soon as Jaxson Dart went to the Giants. With Shedeur Sanders tumbling and the only other reasonably compelling QB prospects off the board, New Orleans — perhaps the neediest QB team of all — felt compelled to roll the dice on a battle-tested college star in Shough.
Well, the Saints are doubling down on that commitment now, giving Shough a fully guaranteed $10.95 million contract, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
New Orleans Saints and QB Tyler Shough reached agreement today on a fully-guaranteed $10.795 contract, per @ErikBurkhardt of @RocNationSports.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 19, 2025
At pick No. 40, Shough is the last player selected in the 2025 draft to secure a fully-guaranteed deal.
The contract also includes…
It's historically uncommon for second-round picks to receive fully guaranteed rookie contracts, although that narrative is quickly changing in 2025. Shough in particular feels like a gamble, though. He arrives in the NFL as a 26-year-old rookie with three separate season-ending injuries on his résumé. He spent seven years in college and only managed to start more than seven games in a season once. That was last season, when he threw for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions in 12 starts for Louisville.
Saints are putting all their eggs in the wrong basket with Tyler Shough
Shough was good for the Cardinals, but c'mon. We've seen too many prospects in Shough's mold bomb at the NFL level. He's way too old and somehow he doesn't really have the experience. He accumulated plenty of starts over seven years in college, but Shough was never healthy and starting for the entire length of a season until 2024. That ought to concern the Saints just a little bit.
He also isn't as polished as you'd like your 26-year-old rookie to be. Shough has the advantage of learning several different schemes over the years, so he should pick up on the Saints' playbook rather quickly. But how well he executes that playbook is another matter entirely. The Ringer's Danny Kelly ranked Shough 84th on his draft board and laid out the myriad concerns.
"(Shough) frequently falls or fades away from throws when pressure is in his face, causing the ball to flutter or float en route to his target," Kelly wrote. "His skittish footwork affects his accuracy. He is at times late on throws, leaving the ball a touch behind receivers so they have to slow down for it. He has suffered separate season-ending collarbone, shoulder, and leg injuries and will be a 26-year-old rookie."
There are positives, too, as Kelly cites Shough's mobility and arm strength, but the execution level just wasn't as sharp as you'd expect from such an old, "experienced" college star. Shough fits into an archetype the league values and the Saints need an "NFL-ready" quarterback like a fish needs water. But Shough's ceiling is inherently limited and if he doesn't ace his professional debut, hands in New Orleans are going to start getting sweaty.
Saints are out of other options after Tyler Shough contract
Shough gets his fully guaranteed contract and in doing so becomes the clear frontrunner to start under center for the Saints in 2025. Derek Carr's sudden retirement left a gaping void in the Saints QB room, one that can no longer be filled via free agency. Unless New Orleans feels strongly about Carson Wentz or another has-been, their best options, however mediocre they may be, are on the roster.
Former fourth-round pick Jake Haener and former fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler will compete with Shough in training camp. Rattler appeared to gain the edge on Haener last season — as a former top recruit, there was palpable excitement around the Rattler pick in 2024 — but neither performed particularly well in a limited sample size. So, Shough has the inside track, deserving or not.
The Saints aren't going to win many games this season, so Arch Manning is on a lot of minds right now. But it's clear New Orleans views Shough as the long-term answer for now, so... let's see how that goes.