The New Orleans Saints have entered a new era under head coach Kellen Moore's leadership. New Orleans could look a lot different when the regular season kicks off in a few weeks. The most noticeable change should be the starting quarterback position.
Moore declared on Saturday that the team will decide on their starting QB “at some point in the next few days.”
Rookie Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler are in the running to win the starting job. Both players have been in close competition throughout training camp and the preseason.
Moore and his coaches will study the film after their 28-19 loss against the Broncos on Saturday.
“I think it's important that we collaborate and talk through this thing. That's an important aspect of this thing. Everyone's got their different perspectives and different exposures and so that would be really, really important,” Moore said per ESPN's Katherine Terrell. “Ultimately, I know I have to make a decision and it's a challenging one because these guys have put everything into this. They've been very, very close.”
Judging just by Saturday's game, Shough could have the edge in the competition.
He was clearly the better quarterback against Denver. He went 12-of-20 for 102 passing yards, the most on the team. Shough also added two carries for 20 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Saints not looking to add veteran QB before regular season
Moore noted that the Saints' coaching staff has already had some healthy discussions about the team's starting quarterback position.
“I'm not going to get into the voting ballots [like] ‘Big Brother' or something with ballots every week,” Moore noted. “It's been a great discussion. We've got the right guys in the room.”
One thing Moore was definitive on was his confidence in the team's quarterback room. He confirmed that the Saints do not plan to add a veteran QB before the regular season.
“We feel great about this group. We've invested and poured a lot into these guys,” Moore concluded. “These guys are young guys. They're going to keep growing each and every day and we're excited to see where this thing goes for all of them.”
It won't be long before Saints fans learn who their new starting quarterback is.
The Saints kick off the regular season at home against the Cardinals on September 7th.
