The New Orleans Saints seem keen on Spencer Rattler. Rattler just finished his first season and has a lot to work with. As Matt Miller pointed out in an ESPN+ story, this is the same front office that drafted Rattler.
While first-year coach Kellen Moore might be interested in drafting his own quarterback, they might not jump the gun in the first round. Which makes sense. Rattler was kind of thrown to the wolves in his rookie season.
"The Saints have clear deficiencies all over their roster, which is bloated with bad contracts. Reaching for a passer at No. 9 won't change their outlook. This is the same front office that drafted Spencer Rattler in the fifth round last year, and a source told me that they still like his ability and upside a lot. New coach Kellen Moore could change that dynamic, but this isn't a team that's a quarterback away, from a team-building standpoint," writes Miller.
The Saints need far more pieces than a quarterback so it’s clear they should focus on drafting best available with their first round pick. Which pretty much takes Shedeur Sanders off the table for them. That isn’t a bad thing though.
New Orleans shifting focus to Spencer Rattler might not be a bad thing for Kellen Moore
I’m not sure if I’d want Spencer Rattler as my first quarterback if he wasn’t my choice if I’m Moore, but it could ultimately work out. The one thing young quarterbacks need is weapons. That could be in the form of skill players or in the form of offensive lineman.
The Saints need both. In that sense, taking a quarterback with the No. 9 pick is almost irresponsible. Which leaves them with quite a few players and options. I think trading back to like 11-15 might be a smart option.
They could end up getting someone like Matthew Golden or Emeka Egbuka to go with Chris Olave and fortify the receiver room. They obviously already have Alvin Kamara too. Then they could upgrade their offensive line to get Rattler some protection.
Moore has worked with several quarterbacks, including Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts. All three are different types of quarterbacks too. Rattler isn’t really like any of them, but closer to Hurts who Moore led to a Super Bowl win this past year.
That could be key for the Saints and Moore this season. Moore knows how to work with all types of quarterbacks and now his task will be to turn Rattler into a solid NFL quarterback. Maybe Rattler turns into a player like Baker Mayfield that needs time but can lead a team.
It could all be worth it if the Saints take quarterback off the table. They can certainly get an insurance option under center in the form of Kirk Cousins or even later in the draft. Cousins is unlikely. But getting someone like Tyler Shough or even Quinn Ewers later in the draft could be the best option.
The Saints have the blueprint to turn things around even if the Derek Carr injury was a ripple in the grand plan. They have the foundation to turn things around. It make take multiple seasons, but Rattler might just be the perfect option in the interim.