Drew Brees might be retired from the NFL, but when it comes to New Orleans Saints football, he’s still watching every throw as closely as ever. From his home in California, the Saints legend has been keeping tabs on one of the most intriguing quarterback competitions in recent team history — a three-way battle featuring rookies and second-year players, with no clear favorite in sight.
Brees, who led the Saints to their only Super Bowl championship and rewrote the franchise’s passing record book, said the situation is unlike anything he experienced during his own playing days. Instead of an established veteran anchoring the depth chart, the Saints have handed the keys to a group of young passers: first-year player Tyler Shough, rookie Spencer Rattler, and second-year Jake Haener.
“It’s a pretty unique situation, if you just look at the youth across the board,” Brees said while in New Orleans this week to promote the NOLA Pickleball Event, scheduled for this weekend at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. “Obviously, there was a lot of excitement in drafting Tyler Shough, and I felt like Spencer Rattler did some great things last year. And Jake Haener — his playing style, his stature, the way he carries himself — it reminds me of a lot of myself back in the day. We’ll see how the competition shakes out. It’s already been a pretty eventful camp.”
Three QBs, One Big Question
Since training camp opened on July 23 at the Saints’ facility in Metairie, the three quarterbacks have rotated snaps with the first-team offense. Head coach Kellen Moore, in his first year leading the team, has yet to reveal how playing time will be divided for Sunday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The competition is wide open. Shough, the team’s draft prize this spring, boasts a strong arm and prototypical size but is still adapting to NFL speed. Rattler, once one of college football’s most high-profile recruits, showed flashes of poise last year but remains inconsistent. Haener, a steady presence who has been with the Saints the longest, has the benefit of system familiarity — though that’s a relative term given the entirely new offensive staff.
Why This Preseason Matters More
Unlike teams with entrenched starters who barely see the field in August, the Saints are likely to use the preseason as an extended laboratory. Brees said he expects all three quarterbacks to play significant snaps across the exhibition slate.
“Some teams barely play their starters, especially at quarterback, to avoid injury before Week 1,” Brees said. “But with these guys, every rep is gold — in practice, in scrimmages, in games. You can’t simulate that pressure, that speed, that feel. Those reps are the only way to grow.”
The Saints will be facing a Chargers team that may also test younger players early, but with Moore and his staff still learning what they have in Shough, Rattler, and Haener, game situations will be invaluable.
Life Without a Veteran Presence
One of the most striking elements of this quarterback room is its lack of an established veteran. Most NFL teams balance young quarterbacks with at least one experienced backup who can serve as both mentor and safety net. For now, New Orleans is leaning entirely on youth.
“The fact that you don’t have a veteran QB in that room right now is rare,” Brees said. “But you’ve got a guy like Kellen Moore, who played quarterback in the league, and a strong offensive staff with real playing experience. They can guide these guys, but nothing replaces actual game reps.”
Brees would know. As a second-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in 2001, he had the benefit of learning from veteran Doug Flutie while getting occasional starts before taking over full time. That blend of mentoring and on-field opportunity helped shape his career.
High Stakes for Everyone
While this preseason battle will ultimately decide who starts Week 1, it may also determine how the Saints build their roster beyond September. Carrying three young quarterbacks is unusual, and the team could be tempted to keep only two on the active roster, stashing another on the practice squad — a move that risks losing a promising player to another team.
The coaching staff will be watching not just for arm strength and accuracy, but also for leadership, decision-making, and resilience when plays break down. One strong performance could catapult a player up the depth chart. A shaky outing might mean fewer reps as the competition tightens.
Brees Still Feels the Connection
Although Brees is no longer in the building every day, his bond with the Saints and the city of New Orleans remains strong. His visit this week was focused on promoting the pickleball event, whose proceeds benefit the Brees Dream Foundation, which supports cancer patients, provides care for children, and funds other charitable causes.
Yet even while promoting an entirely different sport, he couldn’t help but light up when talking about football — especially the challenge facing his old team.
“These guys are in good hands,” Brees said. “They’ve got coaches who know the position and can teach it. But in the end, you’ve got to go out and do it. You’ve got to feel the rush, read the defense, make the throw. That’s what this preseason is for.”
Looking Ahead to Sunday Night
The Saints arrived in Irvine, California, on Wednesday and began practice at the University of California-Irvine on Thursday afternoon. The next few days will be critical for the quarterbacks to sharpen timing and rhythm before taking the field against the Chargers.
Fans will be watching closely, just as Brees is from his home on the West Coast. Every pass, every series, will be dissected — not only by coaches and analysts but also by a franchise legend who knows exactly how high the bar is set in New Orleans.
For now, the competition remains wide open. But as Brees reminded, the clock is already ticking: “In the NFL, you don’t get a lot of chances. When you get one, you have to be ready.”
