By Ross Jackson
Before the New Orleans Saints had an enticing quarterback battle between second-year passer Jake Haener and rookie signal caller Spencer Rattler, they were searching far and wide for quarterback options. Among them were veterans like Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton. The team also tried its luck in the 2021 NFL draft selecting Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book with a fourth-round pick.
The Saints and Book parted ways ahead of the 2022 season, just a year later. Book has since bounced around the league with the Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Book will now be looking for his next landing spot as the Chiefs have now waived him. The fourth-round pick has now been moved on from by four different teams in the league and a reunion in New Orleans will not even be an active conversation.
That is less about Book and more about where the Saints are now. After years of finding no success developing drafted quarterbacks, the team has two solid growing options behind starter Derek Carr. With Haener and Rattler, any concerns of having to move on from Book and previous young passers quickly is essentially dissolved.
New Orleans is now in position to develop starting talent that its coaching staff hand-picked through the draft process. With previously drafted players like Book, Tommy Stevens (who was actually drafted to play tight end) and Garrett Grayson the Saints came up short. Now, with a new coaching staff in the mix that all have a focus and passion for teaching and development, the Saints may finally be on the right side of the drafted quarterback conversation.
Book started one game for the Saints in 2021 wherein he finished 12-of-21 for 135 passing yards and two interceptions. The game was a hotly contested one that some believe should not have been played in the first place due to the dwindling numbers of both roster due to COVID absences.
