The New Orleans Saints have a lot of stories to watch throughout the offseason, none bigger than the one at the most important position: Who starts at quarterback.
It'll be a full-scale QB battle between Spencer Rattler, rookie Tyler Shough and -- if you believe head coach Kellen Moore -- third-year pro Jake Haener. We got a first glimpse of that this week, and the Cajun Cannon Bobby Hebert came away with positive reviews for the first two names.
“The one thing, and people might take this for granted … they want to see, like, how do you spit out the plays," Hebert said. "Is the coach hollering ‘oh, get back in the huddle,’ you know, you couldn’t call the whole play, it’s 12-15 words, whatever, and it’s smooth sailing. I’m impressed with Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler, they’re getting in and out of the huddle, they looked organized, so I think it’s like baby steps … what they’re doing right now.”
Hear the full OTA breakdown from Bobby Hebert in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.
The early analysis of the play itself has to be taken with a grain of salt for one big reason, and it's that the Saints are only working in 7-on-7 drills right now due to CBA rules. They won't get into full team drills until training camp. Still, both Rattler (8-8) and Shough (7-8) delivered the ball well. That's to be expected, because the ball should never be on the ground when there's no pass rush to disrupt the QB, Hebert said.
Haener didn't participate as he works back from an oblique strain that'll keep him out the next several weeks, but Hebert doesn't see that as much of a factor.
"Jake Haener ... he was just tryng to make the team, I think," Hebert said. "To me this is either Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler, and they both threw the ball well today."
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Hebert credits Shough's college coaching, and particularly Jeff Brohm, for having him ready to operate as a pro on Day 1. Rattler is coming back for Year 2 with six games of starting experience, and certainly looks like a more confident player than this time last year.
So when will the QB battle get sorted out? Not any time soon.
"You won’t know anything in the OTAs, you won’t know anything in the minicamp. You know when you want to know? ... After the first preseason game, for sure after the second one. They’re going to go against the Chargers and they’re probably going to go practice out there," Hebert said. I think you very seldom go OK, we’re getting ready to play the Cardinals and you’re not showing your hand, we still don’t know who’s starting. No, I think it needs to be, I would say middle of August or something. It’s not going to be before that. Let them compete. You grade everything, grade every practice, throws and just your leadership ability with the players, so all of that is going to come into play, so all of that is going to come into play.”