Rams could help decide Saints QB competition

Everyone from Jeremy Fowler to Dane Brugler were connecting the L.A. Rams to quarterback Tyler Shough before the draft, and now Sean McVay’s team could play some part in him starting or not starting for the New Orleans Saints. Will Shough make it personal in joint practices against the Rams this week?

With the Chargers cancelling joint practices this week due to injuries, the Saints stepped in for them at a time when McVay was probably getting very desperate for an opponent. Because the Rams don’t play starters in the preseason, these joint sessions are crucial to shaking the rust off for L.A.‘s most important players, although we know that Matthew Stafford won’t be participating at all.

New Orleans goes into the season with a lot of important questions to answer this month, including how Kellen Moore is handling his first camp as a head coach and who he will pick to be his starting quarterback in Week 1.

But no matter who Moore picks, hopes will be low.

The Saints drafted Tyler Shough with the 40th overall pick in the second round, getting the expected amount of criticism for taking a quarterback who turns 26 next month and has a lengthy injury history already. Although some analysts like Todd McShay saw Shough as arguably the second-best talent in the draft after Cam Ward, his draft resume is at best, “weird”.

Shough was a top-ranked Oregon recruit all the way back in 2018, but didn’t start during his first two seasons, had limited action as a junior, transferred to Texas Tech in 2021, threw 380 passes there in three years, and played a seventh college season in 2024 with Louisville. It was only then, seven years into college, that Shough had a breakout season.

Seems like that quote from Tommy Boy has never been more relevant.

Rarely have we seen second round rookie start from Week 1, but that sounded like the plan when the Saints decided to use their first rounder on tackle Kelvin Banks and then take a chance on Shough on day two. The team was aware that Derek Carr had a problem with his shoulder when the draft happened — although they may not have realized he would retire the following month — and it was too late to do anything about replacing him with a similarly-qualified quarterback.

If the Saints had known Carr would retire, would they have joined the Giants and Raiders in discussing a trade for Stafford?

Shough may have been the favorite heading into the offseason, but underwhelming performances in practice have opened the door for Spencer Rattler to get a second chance.

As the starter in 2024, the Saints went 0-6 with Rattler as he threw four touchdowns against five interceptions. Once the top recruit in the nation and the player who was meant to be Lincoln Riley’s next great QB project, Rattler was a fifth round pick out of South Carolina (after starting at Oklahoma) in 2024 and in some ways is a lot like Shough.

Both were supposed to be great quarterbacks coming out of high school.

Both had to transfer schools to find their groove.

Neither of them was especially amazing at any point in college.

Both were a little old to be rookies (Rattler is exactly 2 years younger than Shough, as they share a birthday).

Neither of them will inspire much confidence in fans going into the season.

Both of them have a mission to play well against the Rams in joint practices in order to impress Kellen Moore enough to get the nod headed into their Week 1 game against the Cardinals. (And hanging out somewhere, but not really, is Jake Haener.)

The Rams will not have any say in the matter, but in a way they already have — Snead and McVay obviously weren’t as high on Shough as New Orleans was — and how L.A.‘s defense plays against each of them in practice will have an impact. It’s expected right now that Rattler will be the first quarterback up, and the Saints defense is likely facing off against Jimmy Garoppolo, so really how many starters are we going to see for real?