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The New Orleans Saints are entering a new era under head coach Kellen Moore. New Orleans has plenty of work to do building their roster, especially at the quarterback position. It appears that one of their young signal callers will be out of commission with an injury.
Saints QB Jake Haener was injured during Wednesday's practice according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Haener reportedly suffered an oblique injury while throwing extra passes at practice. Haener underwent an MRI that revealed no oblique tear and indicated that he will not need surgery.
Schefter warned that Haener may not practice again until Saints training camp later this summer.
The Saints drafted Haener in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Haener has only played in eight games during his professional career and has not showed much. He's only attempted 39 passes and logged 226 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Haener will enter training camp in a three-way quarterback battle with second-year QB Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough for the team's starting job.
How will Jake Haener's injury impact the Saints' quarterback battle?
Will Jake Haener's injury have a big impact on New Orleans' quarterback battle this summer?
At this point, it is too early to tell.
The Saints invested a second-round pick in Tyler Shough, which suggests the coaching staff would prefer that he win the battle. That does not mean there will be no competition, but in some respects it does not seem like a fair fight.
The quarterback battle could get interesting if the Saints add a veteran quarterback to the mix.
Kellen Moore sounded receptive to the idea in a recent interview.
“Certainly there's times where if the opportunity presents itself, you feel like it's a really good fit, we'd love to do it,” Moore said about the possibility of signing a veteran.
The Saints have already been connected to Aaron Rodgers after Derek Carr's surprise retirement. Rodgers still might sign with the Steelers, but the Saints would be the next best option for him.
Ultimately, the real quarterback battle in New Orleans may be between Haener and Rattler for the backup job behind Shough.
Saints fans should keep their eyes on that position battle throughout the summer.
