New Orleans Chose Depth Over Draft Capital
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that the Saints received trade interest in Spencer Rattler but decided to keep him on the roster, where he'll serve as quality depth behind starter Tyler Shough.
NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill reported that the Jacksonville Jaguars specifically inquired about Rattler's availability. New Orleans had a real football reason to hold onto him rather than take a mid-round pick.
The team is already dealing with notable injuries on offense, including star running back Alvin Kamara and rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson, and throwing a first-year starter like Shough out there without a backup who already knows the offense would have been a significant risk.
The Saints received trade interest in QB Spencer Rattler but plan to keep him, per sources.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 30, 2026
Rattler will serve as quality depth behind Tyler Shough, barring a change. pic.twitter.com/1kmZcWzSHb
Rattler isn't unproven, either. He started the first eight games of last season before being benched for Shough, completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 1,586 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions during that stretch, numbers that held up even as the team around him struggled.
He capped his preseason with a strong final outing against Dallas, going 8 of 10 for 79 yards and adding an 8-yard rushing touchdown.
Why Rattler's Value Could Keep Rising
Rattler's situation is the kind that tends to develop further once the regular season is underway.
He's making just over $1.1 million against the cap this year, an extremely low-risk asset for any team that suddenly finds itself needing a starting-caliber option midseason.
There's no indication New Orleans has changed its stance since deciding to keep him yet, and nothing suggests the Saints are shopping him now.
But the league already showed real interest once, and quarterback injuries have a way of creating urgency that wasn't there a month earlier. I
f another team loses its starter or its own backup situation looks shaky as the season progresses, New Orleans could easily find itself fielding more calls on Rattler.
