Rizzi confirms Rattler will start if Carr unavailable

By Ross Jackson

The New Orleans Saints aren’t hiding much when it comes to their plan at quarterback ahead of their Week 17 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The door remains open for the return of starting quarterback Derek Carr, who has progressed in his rehab as he tries to make a return before the season wraps up. But with uncertainty still there regarding his ability to protect himself and hold on to the football as he manages a left hand injury, the team is clear about who would start in his place if he can’t get back in time for Sunday.

Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler is expected to get his fifth start against the Raiders if Carr isn’t available against his former team, interim head coach Darren Rizzi confirmed on Thursday.

Rattler is currently 0-4 in his four starts, but the promise has been apparent with the rookie passer.

Throughout though contests, he has led an injury-riddled team including getting just seven snaps with starting center Erik McCoy. The result of not having the cornerstone of his offensive line was a 52.6% pressure rate in last week’s loss against the Green Bay Packers.

New Orleans is trying desperately to get a real evaluation of their first-year passer, but the injuries surrounding him have made that challenging.

Should he get the start against the Raiders, it may be a much more favorable matchup for him and the pieces that will be available around him. 

However if Carr makes his way back to the field, it would be just in time to take on his former team who effectively gave up on him at the end of the 2022 season. Surely the veteran quarterback would say that such a thing would not be his focus, should he return. But flexing on a former team seems like a natural motivator in this situation.