New Orleans Saints Set Quarterback Roster as Season Approaches

The New Orleans Saints have decided to maintain their current quarterback roster as they prepare to finalize their team for the upcoming season. By Sunday, they must reduce their roster to 53 players. Tyler Shough will lead as the starting quarterback, with Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson supporting him as backups.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, New Orleans intends to include Spencer Rattler in their initial 53-man roster. Although there has been trade interest in Rattler, the team prefers to retain him as the primary backup, following Tyler Shough. This decision comes despite external interest in acquiring Rattler.

“The Saints received trade interest in QB Spencer Rattler but plan to keep him, per sources,” Fowler shared on X. “Rattler will serve as quality depth behind Tyler Shough, barring a change.”

Rattler, now 25, entered the NFL through the 2024 draft when the Saints picked him in the fifth round. Over his first two seasons, he started 14 out of 16 games, passing for 2,903 yards, achieving 12 touchdowns, and experiencing 10 interceptions. His teammates seem to value his contributions highly.

Saints wide receiver Chris Olave earlier expressed his belief in Rattler’s abilities, indicating Rattler deserves an opportunity to start in the league. “Spencer’s a great quarterback—I don’t believe he’s a backup quarterback in this league,” Olave mentioned, according to nola.com. He emphasized that Rattler had performed commendably when given the opportunity to start.

Nevertheless, unless circumstances change, it appears Rattler will remain a backup under the current team arrangements. Last season began with Rattler as the starter in 2025, but by late October, Tyler Shough took over the starting role. Shough finished the season with five wins and four losses as a starter, achieving a 67.6 percent completion rate, with 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions.

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