While the backup quarterback battle has been fun to watch for the New Orleans Saints, the competition at that position is going to eventually change to a battle for the starting role.
Veteran quarterback Derek Carr is set to the clear starter in 2024 and will likely be so in 2025 as well. Meanwhile, second-year passer Jake Haener and rookie Spencer Rattler will continue to battle for the “QB2” role.
Where things can get very interesting is next year. The Saints could very well take another swing at quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft. In a recent mock draft, that is exactly what the team did, and it creates some interesting conversations.
The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner (odd-numbered selection) and Scott Dochterman (even) conducted the mock. Baumgardner made the selection for the Saints at No. 15 overall.
The selection: Texas Quarterback Quinn Ewers
“Ewers, like (Shedeur) Sanders and every QB in this class, has to improve if he’s going to stick in the top tier,” Baumgardner said. “His arm talent is as good as it gets in this class, and when he’s right, he throws a beautiful ball. Ideally, the team that picks Ewers won’t be rushing him. The Saints could be in position to manage that.”
This selection would add another young passer to the mix for Carr’s successor. The truth is that something like this is likely. Even if the Saints did not go this route, drafting a first-round passer, adding another quarterback option later in the draft or via free agency feels like a sound decision. Rather than limiting the choices to Rattler and Haener, the team may as well roll as many dice as possible.
This pick would also likely lead to one of Rattler or Haener heading out the door assuming that Carr is still in the building. If Carr is still under contract in 2025, it seems unnecessary to carry four quarterbacks into the 2025 season. Unless things go so poorly this year that it leads to the team moving on from Carr, which is hard to project at this point.
Of course, the Saints could also walk into the 2025 season with a very clear vision at the position with their starter solidified and no questions behind him. In that case, there is solid talent to continue to build around the signal caller and bolster the offense.
For instance, if the Saints did not want to go quarterback, the next logical selection would have been LSU offensive tackle Emory Jones. It is likely the team will be back in the hunt for an offensive tackle in 2025. Jones would be a plug and play starter at right tackle.
“Jones is a tone-setter who can be a downright bully at times for LSU,” Baumgardner wrote. “Playing opposite (Will) Campbell. And like Campbell, Jones is still just 20 years old and will be firmly in the OT1 conversation.”
