By Ross Jackson
With camp now right around the corner for the New Orleans Saints, there are some storylines to still take center stage throughout the process.
Competitions, new faces and injury progress, Saints camp will have it all.
The Quarterback Competition
Two talented quarterbacks will be battling it out for a chance to be the team’s starting passer in 2025. Second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler has the experience and familiarity. Rookie Tyler Shough has the draft status and the live arm. Both passers are skilled and have qualities of their game that make solid fits for new head coach Kellen Moore.
They’ll each need to show their growth and abilities beyond their core strengths in order to leap out to a lead. Expected this battle to be close and hyper-competitive all training camp long.
By the end, one will be crowned the Week One starter. However, that crown won’t guarantee a starting role for 17 games. The winner will have to continue to earn his next opportunities each week.
New Coaches, New Approaches
Things are expected to be a bit different under Moore and his staff. One small example is already available as the team has shifted practices to the morning hours rather than subjecting themselves to the mid-day New Orleans-area heat.
But that won’t be all. How drills are conducted, how practice days are scaffolded and what workload players are asked to carry are all expected to be under a microscope as Moore and director of sports performance Ted Rath aim to keep players working and also available and on the field for the season as well.
Beyond practice structures, the new coaching staff will have its chance over 16 total practices before the team’s second preseason game to continue building its connections with the roster. That process is already under way. However, things usually intensify (in a positive way) once camp rolls around and everyone is spending more time in the field.
Injury Progress
This topic goes in two directions. The first is with focus on players recovering from previous injuries. Wide receivers Chris Olave, Rashid Shahee and Bub Means have already shown substantial progress this offseason. On the other hand, tight ends Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill haven’t yet taken snaps, though both have been promisingly present.
Seeing those players, and any others that are coming back from 2024 injuries, continue to make progress will be of interest over the next couple of months leading to the regular season.
The second angle here is that of ongoing health. The Saints lost several pieces throughout training camp last year. Being able to avoid that this season as the team is leading its new approach and building new chemistry will be vital. As they say, “The best ability is availability.”
