Category: Spencer Rattler

Spencer Rattler shares what he learned from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts

Spencer Rattler reflected on the impact Jalen Hurts had on his career when they were college teammates at Oklahoma:

Super Bowl media week has been a great opportunity to hear about lots of different topics regarding former and current Saints players. One of the more recent discussions happened with 2024 rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler, who was asked what Jalen Hurts impressed on him when they were together for a year at Oklahoma, and what he learned about him.

Rattler had high praise for him: “Yeah, you know I was only around him for a year, but it was a great year for me to learn. I was a young guy, obviously he was a proven guy in college, and exactly what he was doing back then he’s doing now. You know, he’s winning, he’s serious about his craft, very focused, doesn’t play around too much and you gotta respect that and take a few things from that, learn from that.”

The two of them would overlap with the Sooners in 2019 before Hurts would go on to be drafted, while Rattler stuck around through 2021 before heading to South Carolina. While the chance to learn was only limited to one season, it is clear that Rattler took a lot from him based on this quote.

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Report: Saints front office execs ‘love’ their young backup quarterback

Shortly after it was reported Kellen Moore could be turned off by the Saints quarterbacks, ESPN’s Matt Miller shared the Saints front office loves Spencer Rattler:

The New Orleans Saints are in an interesting place right now. They have an aging quarterback in Derek Carr and two young quarterbacks behind him, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. You want to improve from Carr, who dealt with injuries, but the young guys went a combined 0-8.

Things get complicated when thinking about who will lead the team. Mickey Loomis has vocalized the coach won’t be married to anything including the quarterbacks. Well, all signs to the team hiring Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore.

Before Moore even has his introductory press conference, there is already a difference in view of the roster. Moore reportedly doesn’t like the Saints’ quarterback room but the New Orleans front office “loves” Rattler, per ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller.

It’s far from an insurmountable disagreement. Finding out who Rattler is with an actual offense around him is a major reason letting him start in 2025 should be on the table.

The Saints’ draft position may keep them from drafting a quarterback this year. Jaxson Dart seems primed to jump into the first round. Maybe Moore loves Dart early or another quarterback later in the draft.

Even if New Orleans does draft a young player, Rattler will most likely remain on the roster over Jake Haener. He showcased a higher ceiling and Miller’s latest report shows the Saints feel the same way. How Rattler is managed in 2025 will be an interesting storyline to follow.

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Spencer Rattler starting in 2025 could be Kellen Moore’s best option

Kellen Moore reportedly doesn’t like the Saints’ quarterback situation. If he does take the job, Moore can take a few routes at quarterback

Kellen Moore reportedly doesn’t like the New Orleans Saints quarterback room, but there is still a chance he will take the head coach job. Moore has lucked up with the quarterbacks he has worked with in the NFL. He’s operated with Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts.

Stepping into a room with Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener can feel less than enticing. Ben DiNucci was re-signed from the practice squad and has experience in Moore’s offense from their Dallas Cowboys days, but he could be swapped out for someone else in that reserve role. If Moore takes the job, who are the other options?

Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders highlight the quarterbacks in this year’s NFL draft. The Saints won’t be able to grab them, but Jaxson Dart could be available. Opinions are split on whether he’ll be a top-10 possibility, a second-day pick in Rounds 2 or 3, or even drafted at all.

Grabbing him in the top-10 would be a reach. In a thin quarterback class, but quarterback-needy climate, Dart could rise into the tail end of the first round with a strong pre-draft circuit. If not, he’s worth consideration if Moore likes him.

Another alternative is to let Rattler start in 2025. It gives the second-year pro a chance to play with a true supporting cast, which he never had the benefit of in his rookie season.

If Rattler performs well, maybe the Saints have their quarterback. If he doesn’t, there’s a good chance the Saints are picking in the first 10 picks again. That would position you well in what is supposed to be a much better quarterback class.

The expectations are already low for the next head coach’s first season. Taking a risk on a quarterback is acceptable. Carr starting next year elevates your floor. You would have a better chance of picking around the 15th selection. Choosing to start Rattler is a boom or bust scenario, but either outcome could be beneficial.

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Drew Brees shares his take on Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener

Drew Brees shared his take on New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener: ‘This will be a great offseason for both of them to really compete’

The New Orleans Saints have not had a truly reliable quarterback since the legendary Drew Brees retired, but have been going back and forth between different options.

For now, those primary options are Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. While the veteran Carr is clearly the guy for now, the Saints must start looking to the future soon and must evaluate the potential of both Rattler and Haener.

Brees recently weighed in on both players, who got a ton of playing time when Carr went down with an injury not once, but twice during the 2024 season.

“I think both of them showed great signs of what could be to come. Both of them have some unique traits,” Brees told me this week. “They’re kind of smaller, undersized guys, more my size at about 6-foot-1. Both of them are very athletic and they can make a ton of plays on the perimeter. This day and age, you see that becoming more the norm of the quarterback position.”

Brees also said that he views the Klint Kubiak system as a solid fit for both signal-callers, though that obviously could change at some point. How the head coaching search shakes out will have a ton of bearing on that.

“The offense suits both of them well. This will be a great offseason for both of them to really compete,” Brees said. “We will see what offensive scheme is in place, based on what happens with the head coach. They’ve shown what they can do if given the opportunity.”

Jake Haener was the preferred backup for Spencer Rattler on game days, but it was Rattler who got the start most often once Carr went down. It will be interesting to see what the Saints choose to do at this position moving forward and what the future holds for a team in the midst of full change.

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Spencer Rattler on pace for his best game of rookie year vs. Bucs

Spencer Rattler and the Saints offense put on their best first half since the bye week. Can they finally put together a complete game?

The New Orleans Saints scored 17 points in the first half over the last four weeks. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, they scored 16 points.

Spencer Rattler and the Saints offense in total put on their best first half performance since Derek Carr exited the lineup. Rattler was making pinpoint passes between Buccaneers defenders. Juwan Johnson had a pair of nice catch-and-runs.

Most importantly, the Saints scored on every possession, including a Dante Pettis touchdown catch. It’s just three more points than last week’s first half, but there’s a level of consistency that resembles the second half versus Washington Commanders.

The key here, however, is continuing the progress in the second half. The Saints haven’t put together a complete game of offensive performance since defeating the Cleveland Browns. Rattler has spoken repeatedly about the need to show consistency in his game and follow up a strong first half with a solid second half.

New Orleans has failed to score double-digit points in both halves since their bye week. They’ve even been shut out in at least one half in each of the last three weeks.

If Rattler can sustain this performance, it’ll be the best game of his career and possibly his first victory.

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Spencer Rattler looking for redemption vs. Buccaneers

Spencer Rattler’s first and last starts are against the Buccaneers. Hopefully, this full-circle moment doesn’t end the way it started:

Spencer Rattler’s first start came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his last start will come against them, too. Hopefully for the New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback this full circle moment doesn’t end the way it started.

As has been the case for most of his starts, Rattler is without critical weapons and reliable offensive linemen. Rattler played without Chris Olave, Erik McCoy and Lucas Patrick in the first game and will do so again. He could also be without Alvin Kamara this time. Instead of Rashid Shaheed as Rattler’s deep threat, he has Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Essentially, the rookie quarterback is stepping into the same situation. The thing that has to be different is him. It’s Rattler’s last attempt to put together a complete game. He’s put together good halves, but hasn’t sustained it for four quarters. We saw that same pattern repeat just last week against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The last time Rattler played against the Bucs, the Saints lost 51-27 and he he went 22-of-40 as a passer, gaining 243 yards but throwing two interceptions against a single touchdown, taking five sacks along the way (while rushing four times for 27 yards). He also had a fumble.

Rattler will need to do a better job of placing his passes more precisely after that got him in trouble last week. He’ll also have to use his legs more. Tampa Bay flared their defensive ends out in the last matchup to stop him from rolling outside the pocket, but Rattler will need to use his legs in some capacity on Sunday to navigate through what will be an intense pass rush. Seeing some real improvement would do a lot to build positive momentum for a team that needs it before we shift into the offseason.

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These NFL writers aren’t out on Spencer Rattler just yet, despite 0-6 record

These Bleacher Report writers still see potential for development in Spencer Rattler, despite a winless start to his career with the Saints:

Spencer Rattler has yet to win a game as a starter, but not everyone is pessimistic about him. Bleacher Report’s NFL staff believes Rattler “has the tools to be a high-end backup quarterback.”

That’s a step down from auditioning to be the New Orleans Saints’ quarterback of the future, but Rattler becoming a high-end backup would likely give him a chance to start again somewhere, eventually.

Bleacher Report took in account Rattler was performing without Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara. He was also down Rashid Shaheed and Erik McCoy. Darren Rizzi acknowledged the lack of assistance for the young quarterback after losing to the Las Vegas Raiders. Still, he’s now 0-6 as a starter.

With the odds stacked against him, the writers believe Rattler has “shown enough flashes” to still possess developmental potential.

There’s been two things clear from Rattler’s rookie season. He’s talented, but there’s work to do.  That’s exactly where a quarterback picked in the fifth round is expected to be after his rookie season.

The Green Bay Packers game was a great example of this. He made some really impressive throws and paired it with interceptions. It was a two-play sequence in which Rattler threw an impressive pass to Dante Pettis. The very next play was an interception.

There’s been good and bad, and when you take away the scoreboard, there’s reasons to still be optimistic about what Rattler could be. He has time to figure these things out.

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Darren Rizzi admits Spencer Rattler did not have enough help in Week 17

Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi on Spencer Rattler’s Week 17 performance: ‘We really didn’t give him much help today’

New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi spoke on multiple topics during his postgame media appearance, and one point of discussion was the performance of rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler.

Rattler had a strong first half to the game, and ultimately was forced to make some less than optimal throws down the stretch to try and help a comeback take place, to no avail.

Rizzi had multiple things to say regarding Rattler’s performance, starting with, “I know a lot of people are gonna put it all on the quarterback, but we didn’t give him much help today.”

He continued building off this point later on, when asked about the opposing defensive changes and why the Saints struggled offensively. Rizzi said: “No listen, we didn’t execute. We dropped some passes, we missed on a couple pass protection wise, I felt like Spencer never really got settled in there and he was moving around, and he made some plays moving around to his credit. But like I said, we had some drops, we had some penalties offensively that kind of stalled.”

Rizzi added: “If I’m not mistaken we were over the plus 40-yard line twice, and had penalties that pushed us back into a punt situation, and you know you’re in a game like this you gotta come away with some points when you’re down there. I don’t think there was a schematic thing that they did, as much as it was an execution thing by us.”

Then when asked how he viewed Rattler’s performance directly, he stated, “I feel like it’s a little bit hard to evaluate, to be honest with you. Before I watch the film, just watching with my eyes from the sideline, I didn’t feel like we gave him a chance a lot of times.”

Rizzi clarified that while Rattler had some mistakes, too often the rest of the offense let him down: “You know some of those third downs, he did miss a couple of throws, obviously the throw that he has to I think it was Cedrick (Wilson Jr.) there that got tipped up in the air that gets picked off, and then the pass at the end. I know we had the OPI called on us, it looked like we were gonna be in scoring range there inside the 5-yard line, and then we had the penalty. It’s gonna be a tough evaluation, I think we’re gonna have to take a step back and look at it through a different lens because I feel like there was a lot of times where he wasn’t getting any help.”

Ultimately it is clear that Rizzi believed Rattler was not getting much help out there, and that seems relatively clear from the stat sheet as well. We will see if he is able to get the start in Week 18 or if Derek Carr returns for one more game.

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Spencer Rattler was an offensive spotlight in the first half vs. Raiders

Rookie Saints QB Spencer Rattler displayed high efficiency and flashes of playmaking in the first half, closing it with a strong FG drive:

The New Orleans Saints offense only has two scoring drives in the first half, but Spencer Rattler has been very efficient. Rattler only has two incompletions versus the Las Vegas Raiders, and one of those incompletions was a throwaway to get the field goal team on the field.

With a little over the minute, Rattler led the Saints deep into Raiders territory and a field goal that closed the gap at halftime. He delivered a big throw to Kevin Austin in the face of pressure that put them in comfortable range for Blake Grupe.

Juwan Johnson and Foster Moreau were also recipients of big throws down the field from Rattler. Penalties took potential scoring plays off the board twice. While the defense had a goal line stand that kept the Raiders’ point total down, the Saints could have at least three more points if they limited self inflicted mistakes.

Penalties aside, Rattler is performing the way you want him to in the first half. He’s displaying more poise under pressure than last week and showing the ability to use his legs effectively in a similar fashion that he did versus the Commanders.

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Saints rookie QB Spencer Rattler given mediocre grade for debut so far

New Orleans Saints rookie Spencer Rattler was given a mediocre grade for his debut so far. CBS ranked him last among the NFC South’s young passers:

The New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler hasn’t had a very fair first crack at the NFL, but has still been somewhat underwhelming with the cards he’s been dealt.

Under Rattler, the Saints offense failed to score a point against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. It is hard to hold it all against him, though.

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports recently gave each young passer in the league a grade for this past weekend and Rattler was assigned a ‘C-.’ This is what Trapasso had to say about the New Orleans youngster:

“The Saints were wildly overmatched against the Packers in Lambeau, yet Rattler actually made some impressive plays in this game. They were countered by a bad interception in the third quarter and a fumble early in the game.”

Rattler has completed 56% of his passes for 859 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions through his first five appearances. That isn’t very impressive, but he is also working with a very under-manned offense. He has yet to make a normal start with a normal group of weapons to work with, so he shouldn’t be counted out just yet.

He had the worst grade in the NFC South as surging Carolina Panthers passer Bryce Young was given an ‘A-‘ and brand-new Atlanta Falcons starter Michael Penix Jr. was assigned a ‘C.’

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