JACKSON: With Carr down, Saints should turn to rookie Rattler

By Ross Jackson

The non-conference loss to the Kansas City Chiefs ended up being quite impactful for the New Orleans Saints. With quarterback Derek Carr expected to miss multiple weeks with an oblique injury, the Saints now face a tough decision. Where do they go from here at the most important position on the football field?

The options are clear. It’s either Jake Haener, the 2023 fourth-round passer, who was called upon in relief of Carr during the Chiefs game, or 2024 fifth-round quarterback Spencer Rattler? But the decision will be tough. Going with Haener gives the Saints the best opportunity to retain Carr’s style of play with a bit more athleticism while going with Rattler would give New Orleans access to an entirely different dynamic. 

Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has seen the offense slow a bit after a blazing hot start. This could be an opportunity to throw a bit of a curve ball, infusing some surprise, ahead of a big divisional matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

My personal opinion is that the Saints should roll out Rattler in Carr’s place. He offers the team the best opportunity to change things up and deploy a new-look version of Kubiak’s scheme that could include designed runs, RPOs and other wrinkles. 

There may be a lot of hesitation around putting Rattler behind a banged up offensive line. But if that concern were one that would truly guarantee injury, both quarterbacks will eventually end up behind it one way or another. 

The protection angle is an interesting talking point. But it’s not the way NFL teams operate. The Saints built that offensive line and built the depth behind their starters. Deciding to throw one passer behind the unit over the other based on pass rush or injury potential just isn’t a reality in the league. The team will trust that they can protect the quarterback that will give them the next chances to win. Period. 

How it all transpires will be known at a later time. But for the Saints, their biggest concern should be all about putting their best chance to win in the field. While I believe that player to be Rattler, they have every right to believe in Haener, who would not be the “wrong choice” by any stretch of the imagination. 

The two passers are simply good at different things. Haener has great precision, anticipation and ball placement. Rattler has great athleticism, can make every throw on the field and brings an exceedingly high ceiling to the table. They both also overlap in some of those categories. This isn’t a conversation of good versus bad. It’s a conversation of unknown versus unknown. Rattler being this offensive staff’s draft pick could be the edge. 

But why choose Rattler when Haener has been the second quarterback behind Carr all season? There’s a difference between the signal caller that has to step in for the starter in-game and the guy you can game plan with throughout the week. Haener better replicates Carr’s skillset and speaks the same language as Carr from their familiarity with one another which predates the NFL. Carr was Haener’s mentor throughout Haener’s days at Fresno State. Swapping from to the other in the midst of a game would be more seamless than going to Rattler, who plays a different brand of ball. 

Having a week, albeit a short one, to prep Rattler for a start would allow Kubiak and the offensive coaching staff to build its gameplan more specifically around his style of play and skillset. While the week is slightly shortened in terms of recovery, the practice time is essentially the same as a Sunday to Sunday game. 

The Saints can’t really go wrong here. They have a pair of young and talented players to turn to. Both of which the organization believes in greatly, and both of which have a ton of confidence (though perhaps Haener has the edge there). Whichever player they go to will have good and bad moments. It’s the trail of the young quarterback in the NFL. Not everyone is going to be Jayden Daniels with the Washington Commanders. 

The Saints must remain patient here. This may be their best chance to evaluate their post-Carr options. Maximizing this chance is important. And that chance should be given first to Rattler.