The New Orleans Saints quarterback position may be in flux following Derek Carr’s sudden retirement, but Jake Haener is unconvinced of the need for a veteran to help out.
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The Saints may have already been searching for a long-term answer at the quarterback position this offseason, but that was accelerated by the sudden retirement of their long-time signal-caller.
That vacancy was eventually filled by Tyler Shough, who now goes into a three-way competition with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener to handle the opening day snaps at quarterback.
The major gap among those three options is NFL experience, and that’s led to some calls for a veteran quarterback to be added to the mix.
One competitor, however, vehemently disagrees.
Jake Haener dismisses the need for a veteran quarterback in New Orleans
Speaking during the team’s OTAs, Haener appeared to dismiss the idea of a veteran quarterback.
“I mean, what are you going to get from that?” Haener said. “Those guys (on staff) are veterans, man. They’ve done it. They’ve been through it. … You’ve got everything you need in terms of what to look for, what to ask, what to see. They’ve seen it all. They’ve been around it.”
Haener’s point appears to revolve around the team’s coaching staff, which includes six former quarterbacks, including current head coach Kellen Moore, although it’s fair to point out that none of them achieved anything remarkable at the NFL level.
New Orleans Saints’ quarterback situation is fluid at best
While Haener spoke up for the coaching staff, it’s difficult not to see something changing in New Orleans prior to the season.
Their quarterback room currently consists of a rookie (albeit one of the more experienced ones, in Tyler Shough), Haener himself, and Spencer Rattler.
Neither of the NFL-experienced players has done anything remarkable in their time in the league, with Haener throwing a single touchdown and interception in last year’s action. Rattler fared a little better, throwing four touchdowns against five interceptions in six starts, but neither fills an experience vacuum in the quarterback room.
With Shough widely expected to land the starting job, one would expect the Saints to target an experienced backup, perhaps former hometown hero Teddy Bridgewater, to mentor and back up the rookie.
The Saints’ recent experience here should behoove them to add a veteran, given they found themselves in the same situation last season, relying on the health and arm of Derek Carr, which ultimately backfired when he got injured, leading the team to collapse to a 5-12 record.
